Strawberry Gashes
by Cosmic Moon Baby
Summary: YuukixZero. Zero turns out to be a vampire, after years of being her constant companion. Overwhelmed, Yuuki resorts to the only way she knows how to cope. Will they be able to make it through this together? Angst, OOC-ness and mature content.
1. Shame

**This fic deals with some mature issues, specifically self injury. This story is not meant to glorify it and may have possible **_*****__**triggers**__*****_** involved, so if you are dealing with SI, this may not be the best story for you to read. **

**This kinda' has some OOC action going on (obviously). Rated 'M' for mature themes and situations. **

**WARNING: Dark, moody, angsty content ahead…**

**This began as a oneshot, but I think I'll make it a few chapters long. We'll see. **

**I don't own the characters from Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino DOES. **

**Song lyrics to "**_**Strawberry Gashes**_**" ©Jack Off Jill. **

~*~*~*~

Her heart. She felt it, pounding in her ears as she gazed into the bathroom mirror, unsettled by what she saw. Her own body seemed that of a waif, her face gaunt and skin incredibly pale. With a delicate finger, she traced the dark circles under her eyes, sighing mightily as she bowed her head. What had she become?

It had been only days since she had discovered Zero's dark secret, since he had sated his hunger on the very life that flowed through her veins. He was a vampire, and the discovery had nearly torn her apart. The Zero she'd always known now relied on her, though unwillingly, to provide him with the very thing that was threatening to be their undoing. Blood. The very sight of it was enough to make her stomach clench. Her cinnamon eyes closed upon recalling the feeling of his lips touching her neck, of his fangs as they sank deeply into her flesh. The pain, the dull ache, had grown to something far more treacherous…something that she could swear she almost longed for.

But this revelation had taken its toll on Yuuki, her formerly joyful disposition becoming more dire in the days since their exchange. He'd been avoiding her like the plague, an act that had only hurt her more deeply. All she wanted was to stay by his side, to assure herself that he was safe, that he wouldn't do anything foolish in her absence. She knew how his demons plagued him, how everyday life could be an absolute misery for him. And now this. It was too much, she thought, for him to bear alone. She was determined to keep him protected, to assure that he had a reason left to smile, no matter the cost.

Her own mind was trampling her, thoughts racing through her mind faster than she could comprehend them. What would she do now? Zero had been her confidant, her strength in the darkness for all the years he'd lived at the academy. She felt so numb, as if she were suspended in some nightmare that she had yet to wake from. She hated that all she had to offer was her blood. Her words, she knew, could never be enough to help ease his soul.

Fear lurked in the shadows of her mind, threatening to overtake her. A vampire.

"He's a vampire," she said aloud, her voice sounding completely foreign to her. She wondered how long it would actually take for it to truly register. She feared what the world would think, should anyone discover what had taken place between them. Surely they wouldn't understand. Their sin had becomeher ultimate burden, though it was one she knew she would be forced to bear…for his sake. She touched her neck, only faint traces of his marks left behind. Fingering the tiny, pale pink fang marks, she sighed, closing her eyes tightly.

The emptiness was growing inside her, the girl lost in the sea of confusion swirling about her. She felt as though she were drowning, sinking further into the abyss as the moments ticked by. Was this what it was like, she wondered, to go mad?

She suddenly felt a wicked sense of self loathing, her fists clenching at her sides. If only she were stronger. Her weakness could no longer be overlooked. How was she supposed to be there for him when she couldn't even control her own thoughts? But she knew that she wasn't strong…had never been. Since she could remember, others had always kept her sound, had protected her from the darkness of the world. And now, the one she was closest to had been taken over by it, leaving her positively rocked by it, unsure of everything she'd ever known.

"_Turn her over  
A candle is lit, I see through her  
Blow it out and save all her ashes for me"_

"Why?" she whispered, digging her fingernails into the flesh of her thigh, eyes closing at the small relief it brought. The slight discomfort was enough to make her feel, to help calm her raging mind, if only for a time.

"_Curse me, sold her  
The poison that runs its course through her  
Pale white skin with strawberry gashes all over all over"_

Looking down, she noticed that she'd drawn blood, the red droplets oozing to the surface of her milky skin. Her thoughts soon echoed once more through her mind, nagging at her, tearing away at her. It wasn't enough. Nothing she could do, she realized, would ever be enough. Not now.

"_Watch me fault her  
You're living like a disaster  
She said kill me faster  
with strawberry gashes all over"_

She found herself rummaging through the cabinet, her hand drawing out a new razor. She stared at it for a moment, unsure of exactly what she was doing. Thoughts still racing, Yuuki seemed to move under the influence of someone else entirely, taking a wash cloth in her hand. She snapped the metal cover from the razor, exposing the three unused blades nestled inside. Tapping them on the sink, they fell, lying harmlessly on the cold porcelain.

"_Called her over  
and asked her if she was improving  
She said "feels fine" it's wonderful wonderful here"_

She wrapped the plastic handle and the cover in a tissue, disposing of it in the trash can before turning her attention to the three blades. Cautiously, she took on in her fingers, holding it up. With a deep breath, she drug the blade across her upper arm, blood immediately shooting to the surface of the wound. She made another cut, this one longer, deeper, her mind going blank as she punished herself for her weakness. The pain mixed with relief, something she hadn't felt since she's found out about Zero's affliction. She felt the wetness on her skin, raking the blade across her arm, blood flowing down past her elbow.

"_Hex me told her  
I dreamt of a devil that knew her  
Pale white skin with strawberry gashes all over all over"_

Suddenly, she was well aware of her wounds, of the trails of red that had streaked down her arm, beginning to pool in the sink. Examining them further, she noticed that several of them were gaping, nearly making her sick to her stomach. Nearly panicking, she hastily grabbed tissues and held them to her arm, though they were soon soaked red. God, they couldn't know. If they found out…

"_Watch me fault her  
You're living like a disaster  
She said kill me faster  
with strawberry gashes all over"_

"Shit," she uttered through gritted teeth, overwhelmed by her own reality.

"_I lay quiet  
waiting for her voice to say  
"Some things you lose and some things you just give away"_

After several minutes, the bleeding subsided, giving her the opportunity to rinse out the sink. Afterward, she went about bandaging her wounds with the gauze she'd had to wrap her neck with from her encounter with Zero. Taping a piece of it in place, she looked at herself once again in the mirror, feeling absolutely ashamed of herself.

"_Scold me failed her  
If only I'd held on tighter to her  
Pale white skin that twisted and withered away from me away from me"_

Regret hit hard, tears rushing forth without her consent. She stood there, gripping the sink, her tears falling without reserve: tears for Zero and tears for herself. She prayed for a reprieve, for things to go back to the way they were before. But she knew there was no use. Things would never be the same again.

_"Watch me lose her  
It's almost like losing myself  
Give her my soul  
and let them take somebody else get away from me_

Watch me fault her  
You're living like a disaster  
She said kill me faster  
with strawberry gashes all over all over me"

~*~*~*~

**Okee, that's it for now. I'm currently working on Chapter 2 and this will probably be a short fic. Thanks for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated, too. ;P **

***Cosmic Moon Baby***


	2. Broken Seraph

**Ok, again, this fic deals with self injury, and may contain triggers for some. If you're dealing with SI, this may not be the best story for you to read.**

**I don't own the characters of Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino DOES. **

**R&R, if you're so inclined…**

~*~*~*~

It was Saturday, and Yuuki was thankful to have no classes to sit through. The week of Spring Break was also to begin on Monday, so she had a bit of time to think…to attempt to sort things out. She'd done her best to avoid human contact since the night before, when she'd found herself acting like someone else entirely. Her arm ached and she'd awakened to find bloodstains on her sheets, something else she'd have to worry about. Despite the ache of her body, the ache in her heart was far worse. She hadn't seen Zero for a few days and it was taking its toll on her. She wondered what he was thinking, if he were well. Surely his hunger was getting the best of him. He was probably sick by now, a thought that urged her to seek him out. They'd have to talk about it sometime, wouldn't they? It's not as if they could go on avoiding each other forever.

As it happened, he was the one that sought _her_ out. She was sitting in her room, lost in her own thoughts, her stereo humming when the knock came at her door. She sat up, a certain panic rising within her.

"Who is it?" she called, though she had an inkling.

"It's me. Can I come in?" came his smooth voice, sending chills racing along her spine. Her heart began to race and she swallowed hard, knowing they had put this off for long enough.

"Sure," she returned, watching as her door opened, his tall, lanky form appearing soon afterward. He shut the door behind him, making his way cautiously over to her bed. He looked so different without his uniform on, wearing jeans and a black shirt. He looked as nervous as she felt, his hands clenched at his sides. He stopped in front of her and she moved to sit cross legged, beckoning him to have a seat next to her. He obliged, his lavender eyes full as they looked her through.

Hands wringing, she looked away, unable to find the words she longed to say. To her surprise, he leaned forward, his eyes slitting shut as his head tilted back. What was he doing?

After a moment, his eyes opened, tinted red, just as they had been a few days ago. A certain fear struck her, though she fought it back, holding it at bay.

"Why do I smell blood?" he asked, his question startling her. She immediately felt like a fool. Of course, he would notice it. How could she be so thoughtless as to overlook that?

"What?" she nearly stuttered, feigning total ignorance. She saw him clutch at his throat, her eyes growing wide with horror as she watched his features contort in pain. She couldn't bear it, the sight of him doubling over, his chest heaving as he struggled to quell the hunger raging within him.

She moved almost automatically to comfort him, her hands coming to rest upon his shoulders. She nearly reeled backwards as he met her, almost fiercely, his words sounding harsh to her ears.

"Don't, Yuuki," he warned, though she couldn't force herself to leave him be.

"Please," she said, "let me help you. You know I can," she told him, noticing something akin to fear in the depths of his eyes.

"I can't. I won't…not again," he vowed, his hand clutching at his throat more desperately, the smell of blood driving him to the far reaches of madness. It wasn't just blood…it was _her_ blood, a realization that both puzzled and floored him. But he had to fight it. He couldn't allow himself the sick gratification of tasting her essence again. He'd hurt her enough, he thought, had taken enough from her. He despised himself for it, for doing such a thing to the one person that mattered to him in this world.

He attempted in vain to push her back, though she wouldn't be persuaded. She crawled to him, her arms going around his shoulders as the smell of blood became overwhelming, consuming his entire being. His will power was breaking down quickly, his arm snaking around her waist, her head tilting back to allow him access to the column of her neck. It was both torture and bliss, to hold her like this, to feel the rapid beating of her heart against his chest. He knew she was terrified, a thought that made him bitter. It was the last thing he wished for. In truth, he wanted only to see her beautiful smile, to hear her laughter floating on the air around him. His actions sickened him, and he cursed himself for being so powerless against his own urges.

Her scent bombarded him, intoxicating him. His fangs extended, raking gently along her neck. He felt her body tense, his other hand moving to anchor in her russet hair.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, his fangs sinking deeply into the muscle of her neck, causing a small moan to escape her. She clung to him, her body feeling weak in his grip. The same familiar pleasure settled over her, and she felt guilty for having the gall to enjoy this accursed act. She could hear the sounds of him drinking from her, their closeness almost comforting. Soon, he pulled back, his eyes returning to their usual calm shade of lavender, his tongue tasting the corners of his lips. She could see the guilt in his eyes, the shame that she could easily relate to.

She sat slumped against his shoulder, feeling a bit dizzy. He'd taken quite a bit from her, leaving her head swimming. It was as his hands took hold of her upper arms that she cried out, immediately regretting it. He looked confused, though she could see him quickly adding things up in his mind.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. He'd released her arms, his fingers moving to encircle her wrist to hold her in place. His eyes narrowed, and she knew that she'd been found out. Zero was no fool, and she hated herself for underestimating him.

She struggled as he unceremoniously took hold of the hem of her shirt, her eyes widening as he pulled it over her head. She tried to put space between them, though she knew it was in vain. He knew. He just had to see it for himself.

Their struggle ended with him pinning her smaller frame to her mattress, his weight holding her still as shock spread across his face. She tried to cover the evidence, but his fingers held her wrists, his other hand touching the white gauze covering her upper arm. Blood had seeped through, staining it red in patches. His brows furrowed, his fingers gently removing the tape holding the gauze in place, revealing a gross number of cuts, some quite deep and still weeping silently.

"Yuuki? What…?" he started, a deep frown touching his lips. Of course he'd be disappointed in her. She felt her eyes welling with tears, though she refused to allow them to fall. The look on his face was heartbreaking, his confusion turning then to anger.

"Did you do this?" he asked, already knowing the truth. Of all the things he'd witnessed, this was perhaps the most hurtful. This beautiful girl, so perfect, so precious to him…she'd carved herself to ribbons. He saw the look on her face, the overwhelming shame that washed over her. He immediately felt to blame. If it hadn't been for him, she would be at peace. Instead, she'd taken everything out on herself. If only he'd been there for her. Instead, he'd been busy avoiding her, to soothe his own conscience. So selfish, he thought, so wrong of him, to leave her so alone.

Losing her battle, he watched her tears fall, her lip quivering as she avoided his gaze. His heart burned, the sight nearly enough to break him. His eyes strayed to her wounds once more, and he noticed that they'd begun to bleed again. She gasped as his head lowered, his tongue laving gently at her cuts as if to mend them. He pulled back, before his bloodlust could once again take him over, his eyes filled with a pain that couldn't be put into words.

"This is because of me," he said somberly, more of a statement than a question. Her heart clenched, the look on his face unlike anything she'd yet witnessed in her young life.

"Don't. You can't say that," she told him, feeling more vulnerable than she ever had. Without a word, she felt his arms go around her, pulling her in against his chest. His head bowed over her, her breath catching, silent tears still rolling down her pale cheeks. This was the last thing she wanted, for him to take the blame. She only wanted peace for him, though she knew that her actions had only made things worse.

Her small hands fisted in the fabric of his shirt, time seeming to still as they sat, both seeming overwhelmed. With all the courage she could muster, Yuuki looked up at him, appalled to find his cheeks wet with tears, his face grim. She'd not seen him cry since they were children, and the sight was frightening in itself. Zero wasn't one to easily show emotion.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her small body rocking with sobs, his arms tightening about her. He felt positively helpless, feeling as though his entire world were crashing down around him. This girl, though she knew it not, was his reason for living. Ever since he'd come to know her, he had sworn to live to watch over her, to be by her side. But now, he could only hold her as she wept, feeling totally numb. He'd failed her.

"I'm the one that's sorry. I should've left before now. I shouldn't have involved you in my nightmare," he told her, closing his eyes as her fingers brushed his tears from his cheek. Her hands then framed his face, his eyes focusing on her once again. The feeling of her hands, so gentle, was enough to soothe him.

"Don't ever say something like that to me. We're in this together, no matter what. You know that, don't you?" she asked, ignoring the ache in her arm as she studied him.

Her words touched him, tapped into the heavily guarded shelter of his heart. Together. That's what they had always been, since he'd stepped through the door that fateful night years ago. She'd stroked his hair, offering comforting words as she kept his nightmares at bay. He'd begun to love her then, and his love for her had grown exponentially since. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her, though at the moment he found himself feeling nothing but helpless.

"Then why wouldn't you talk to me?" he wondered, smoothing her dark hair from her face.

"I…I don't know. I just needed to deal with this in my own way," she answered, shame lacing her voice.

He sighed, his lips touching her forehead lightly, fire burning in the pit of her stomach. She'd never felt such regret before, though she was grateful that he hadn't been harsh with her after his discovery.

"It's not the way. If you have to take it out on someone, take it out on me. I'm right here, Yuuki," he said gently, his thumb smoothing along her cheek.

He was, wasn't he? He'd always been there, no matter the circumstance. He'd been by her side, had always watched over her. They'd huddled under the covers together as children, keeping the shadows at bay. But, they were no longer children, and things had gotten more complicated than either had ever expected. Now, they knew each other's secrets. The question was how they would deal with them.

"I don't really know what to do. And I don't know how to feel," she confessed, the feeling of his arms around her doing wonders to calm her soul.

"But I know that it's not your fault. You can't help what you are, and I don't blame you for anything. I just don't know what to do," she said again, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I'll help you," he said, "if you'll let me." She closed her eyes, taking in the familiar scent of him, something that had always brought her comfort.

"Some of those…they're pretty deep, Yuuki. You should get them stitched up," he told her, though she was soon shaking her head afterwards.

"I can't. I can't let the chairman know…or anyone else," she said, unable to fathom what she would say to explain herself.

He chose his words carefully, so as not to upset her further.

"You realize that every vampire on this campus will smell the blood until these stop bleeding," he pointed out, disturbing her a bit. Yes, that was true. Even Kaname, who she'd both trusted and respected for many years would know. The thought put her ill at ease. She didn't want him fussing over her and she knew it meant he'd be on Zero's back because of it. They'd always detested one another, much to her displeasure, and this would be just the excuse Kaname needed to take his frustrations out on Zero. At least, she thought, everyone would be away visiting home for the week. That gave her a bit of time at least.

She looked up at him, a mighty sigh soon escaping her.

"_You'll_ have to take care of them," she said, causing him to swallow hard.

"Yuuki, I really think I should take you to a doctor. I can't guarantee I'll be able to control myself while I tend to them," he confessed, though he could tell by the look in her eyes that she would not be denied.

After a moment, he relented, his hand proffering her discarded shirt. She looked so fragile, her arms crossed slightly to grant herself a bit of modesty. Only a bit of black lace remained between them, a realization that he immediately pushed to the back of his mind. There were much more pressing matters at hand.

She took it from him, carefully pulling it over her head before getting to her feet. She took his hand, an almost automatic action that caused a bit of calm to settle over her. Leading her towards the door, Zero unlocked it and led her out into the hallway, the door sounding shut behind them.

~*~*~*~

**Alright, there's Chapter 2! Let me know how you're feelin' about the story and I'll have more soon (I hope). I tend to get in over my head and start a million stories and then neglect them. Oops. Bad me!**

***Cosmic Moon Baby***


	3. Trust

**WARNING: This fic may contain **_**triggers**_**, as it deals with self injury. If you're dealing with SI, this may not be the best fic for you to read. **

**Thanks to those that have reviewed so far! OOC-ness, angst and adult goodness ahead. **

**I don't own the characters from Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino DOES. **

**On to Chapter 3…**

**~*~*~*~*~**

They walked in silence, passing not a soul as they came at last to the Chairman's bathroom. Zero pushed the door open, allowing the diminutive girl to take the lead before locking the door behind them, grateful that the Chairman had finally seen to getting the lock repaired.

His hands gripped her waist and he effortlessly lifted her onto the counter, flipping on the fluorescent light above the sink. He lowered his head, thankful that he'd just taken her blood. The scent of it filled him, and for a moment he was nearly made weak by it. He fought his own urges, keeping his lust for her essence at bay as his deft fingers took hold of her shirt once more. As he lifted it, Yuuki shivered upon feeling his cool hands slide along her stomach. He continued on, his fingers slipping along her sides, causing warmth to pool in the pit of her stomach. She forced herself to remain still as he finally lifted her shirt over her head, sitting it on the counter beside her.

He cringed as his eyes once again took in the sight, strawberry gashes marring the white porcelain of her skin. His hand cupped her cheek, thumb stroking along her fair skin. Her eyes met his, weary and full of hurt. He was determined to do anything within his power to chase away her demons.

Zero began rummaging through the medicine cabinet, grabbing a bottle of peroxide, a roll of gauze and some extra pieces to clean her wounds. He then turned, taking the first aid kit from the shelf against the wall. In it, he found a tube of Liquid Stitches, which the Chairman kept around "just in case". Returning his attention to Yuuki, he cleared her hair from her face tenderly.

"This is going to sting. Just bear with it for a bit," he told her, as he took hold of her arm. Holding it over the sink, he poured peroxide over her cuts, causing them to bleed once again. She winced from the pain, the fluid beginning to bubble as it met blood. After a bit, he pressed a piece of gauze against her arm, holding it in place for a time as he watched her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking note of the discomfort written across her face.

"I'll be fine. Do what you've gotta' do," she told him, watching as he carefully removed the gauze. Most of the bleeding had subsided, allowing him the opportunity to apply the Liquid Stitches. He pushed the gaping cuts together, holding them closed as he applied the gel that would act as her stitches. He allowed each time to bond before placing a fresh square of gauze atop them. He then wrapped a bandage around her arm a twice, securing it with two metal closures.

"There. That should keep the smell of blood to a minimum, though it still lingers," he noted, watching the emotions play across her lovely face.

"I'm sorry to make you do this. I know it must be hard on you," she said, taking hold of his hand.

"Thank you," she told him, "for everything you've done."

He smiled, one of pure melancholy. She gazed up at him, wishing that he would smile more often…genuinely smile, not force himself to.

"I love it when you smile," she said softly, cursing herself for allowing her thoughts to flow so freely. He didn't seem to mind, his hand giving hers a light squeeze.

She was suddenly aware of his eyes roaming over her, of the fact that she was sitting before him half naked on the counter. Her cheeks flushed pink and she averted her eyes, suddenly fascinated by the floor. Sensing her unease, he placed a chaste kiss upon her forehead before stepping back.

"Why don't you take a shower? I'll wait for you and we can talk…if you want," he suggested, receiving a nod in response.

"I'll be in my room," he added, dragging himself from the sight of her and turning to go.

She let his fingers slip from hers a bit reluctantly, watching him as he disappeared out the door, leaving her to her thoughts.

Dusk had settled over the land since he'd first come to her. Yuuki stared out the bathroom window, still unsettled despite Zero's consoling. Things were still so very wrong.

The warm water beat down upon her, and she was careful to keep her bandage from being soaked through. She tried to rationalize her thoughts as they continued to race through her mind.

Zero was indeed a vampire, one that had been turned four years ago by a pureblood. She had always been frightened of them, until she'd met Kaname…who was _also_ a vampire, she reminded herself. Neither of them had ever been anything but kind to her, save for Zero's occasional mood swings. She'd even grown used to those by now, having come to know him for who he truly was.

So why, then, was this affecting her so? Perhaps it was because she hadn't expected it, having lived with him for four years, sharing most everything with him. With a bit of a start, she realized then that in that time, she'd also grown to love him, like she loved no one else.

And now the bond they shared had become deeper still, as he now relied on her to provide him with the very thing that would keep him alive. She closed her eyes as the tears threatened to fall, the mere thought of him becoming a Level E enough to make her sick to her stomach. That fear hadn't left her since she'd found out about his affliction. That, she thought, was a prominent reason behind her actions the night before…pure fear that she would lose him to this. Much had been placed on her shoulders and Yuuki knew that alone, she wasn't strong enough to handle it all. But with Zero, perhaps she would be. His words, his gentle hands, had helped to soothe her, had dressed her wounds with care.

She shut off the water, grabbing a towel from the bar on the wall and toweling herself dry. Wrapping the towel around herself, she poked her head out the door, thankful that the hallway was empty. She hurried to her spare room, where she sometimes slept when she needed to be alone. There she found a change of clothes in the dresser. Quickly changing into the ¾ sleeved black top and grey skirt, Yuuki headed into the dark hallway to find her companion.

~*~*~*~

She hesitated, her hand poised to knock at his closed bedroom door. Something was holding her back, her heart still aching. She wasn't sure what she would even say, though she knew that she wanted desperately to be near him. The thought of being alone frightened her at the moment, and she was finally able to knock, her raps sounding on the wood.

"Come in," he called, and she pushed through, shutting the door behind her. It was dark in his room, save for a few flickering candles that sat on his dresser. He was lying on his bed, though he moved to sit up as she approached.

"No, don't get up," she said, moving a bit cautiously towards where he lay. He resumed his position, his eyes never leaving her as she sat on his bed. She then crawled over to him, tucking herself in against him, her head coming to rest upon his shoulder. Despite her confusion and the emotions that had been swirling around her for the past few days, Yuuki felt totally safe with him near, as if none of the evils in the world could touch her. Funny, she thought, that she felt so safe with a vampire.

His arm slid around her, his hand resting upon the slight curve of her hip. This was a luxury that he'd grown to adore over the years. She used to come to his room after the nightmares had struck her, stuffed rabbit in hand as she waited for his signal. He would raise the covers and she would run over, diving under them with him. They'd always been able to keep each other's nightmares at bay and this, he vowed silently, would be no different.

"I was thinking," she began, feeling his heart beating under her palm.

"Yeah? What were you thinking?" he prompted, a clap of thunder outside signaling an approaching storm. Soon, they heard heavy rain pelting against the far window, lightning lighting the room through the light drapes.

"You and I…we're bound in blood," she said softly, and he knew it to be true. He laid there, his silence disturbing her.

"I never wished this for you. Yuuki, you don't have to…"

"Stop. Before you even say it, just stop. I've made up my mind and I won't go back on it. I promised myself, and now I'm promising you. I'll give you my blood, until there's none left in my body, if it will keep you alive," she said, her voice laced with the emotions swirling within her.

He sighed mightily, brushing her damp hair from her eyes. Lightning flashed once again, followed by another mighty crash of thunder. He listened to the rain, concentrating on the small, warm body lying against him. She was so selfless, so much so that it nearly angered him. How could she give so much to a monster such as him?

"You say these things to me…it's both heaven and pure hell to hear them. I've made you my victim, Yuuki. I treat you inhumanely and it's killing me. Look what it's done to you," he said, his fingers tracing gently along her upper arm.

"I told you, it's not your fault. I'm just…I'm just scared, Zero. I'm scared I'll lose you," she confessed, her head lifting from his shoulder. The candle light danced in her eyes as she looked at him, her hand touching his face.

"I've decided something. I don't care what you are. I need you…and you need me, don't you?" she asked, gasping as his lips touched her palm.

He wanted to push her away, to send her running as far from him as possible. But her eyes held him, made his mind up for him. By her side was where he belonged, despite everything that had occurred. Damn his burden…and damn Kaname and his apparent obsession with Yuuki. Nothing, no one, could keep him from her, not when she needed him most.

She felt it flow through her, like some unknown current, and she watched as his head bowed towards her. His arm pulled her in more tightly against him, his fingers lifting her chin so that her eyes met his.

"I'm not going anywhere, Yuuki. I won't give in to it," he told her. Only then did she notice how small the gap between their lips had become, his breath warm against her lips. She was startled for only a moment, her hand soon smoothing over the bold black lines of the tattoo on the side of his neck before slipping through the silvery hair at the base of his neck.

Her other hand came to rest upon his cheek, flames dancing in his lavender eyes. She'd been this close to him before, but this time, something was distinctly different: the emotion in his eyes, the gentle way in which he cradled her body against his. Yuuki closed her eyes as she felt his lips brush against hers, like a whisper of wind. He touched his lips to hers once more tentatively, allowing himself time to gauge her reaction. He feared she'd pull away, but to his delight she met his actions in kind, her fingers tightening in his hair. She'd always wondered what it would be like to kiss him, an act she'd only ever dreamed of before now. His lips were warm as they pressed harder against hers, lingering a bit longer than before.

His desire was raging once more, but this was no desire for her blood. This was something far more sinister, something he had denied himself for quite some time. Since he was fifteen, he'd been having exceptionally vivid dreams of the two of them, lost in each other's embrace. His desire had only grown stronger after he'd tasted her blood, which he was sure was the sweetest in existence.

That same desire was now driving him on into uncharted territory, his tongue sliding along her bottom lip, causing a shiver to race up her spine. Noticing her trembling, he brought her to face him fully, sitting her onto his lap, her knees astride his hips as her head tilted back in his hands. His tongue coaxed her lips to part, and he gladly took advantage of the opportunity to taste her fully. She was awkward at first, having never experienced such a thing, though she caught on quickly, her tongue tangling with his, sliding along his teeth while her fingers remained tangled in his silvery hair. Her saccharine flavor nearly drove him to madness as their kiss intensified, his hands gripping her waist a bit roughly as he pulled her flush against him, their chests meshing as the sounds of her soft moans filtered into his ears.

A feral growl soon rumbled in his own throat, causing her eyes to fly open. She pulled back a bit, out of breath and slightly flushed. Guilt hit him for what he'd allowed himself to do and his apology was swift.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean…"

Her lips again crushed against his, all worries washing from him as he laid her down upon his mattress, blind instinct and driving lust taking him over completely. He kissed her hard, his lips punishing, her hands clinging to his arms. Soon, his hands were roaming under her shirt, taking pleasure in the soft skin he found there. His hands slid up along her sides, over her hidden mounds of flesh. He gazed into her eyes, his lavender orbs seeming to ask for permission to continue. She nodded, his hands slipping her shirt over her head and tossing it aside. She was a lovely sight, lying before him in her gods be damned short skirt and black bra, though his eyes couldn't help but stray to the white bandage wrapped around her arm. Zero attempted to push those thoughts from his mind, to concentrate only on the present…on the fantasy he thought would never be fulfilled.

He pulled back, roughly pulling his own shirt over his head before stretching himself out along the length of her body, the warmth of his skin permeating her. He kissed her again, unable to sate himself with the taste of her. His lips were devastating, leaving her mind swimming. She found her body moving on instinct, her hands smoothing along his naked skin. Pulling back, he lifted her up, settling her between his legs as he leaned back against the headboard. She settled in, her back against his chest, her hands coming to rest upon his thighs.

The horrid thoughts that had haunted her for days seemed to vanish into nothing, his hands running along her sides, both calming and thrilling her. But nothing could prepare her for his next maneuver. One hand wrapped about her waist as the other snaked its way down her thigh and under her skirt. There he stopped, a frown marring the features of his face. She froze, fully aware of what was occurring.

He lifted her skirt away from her thigh, sighing as he took in the sight of the dried blood from when she'd clawed herself the night before. He leaned down, his breath hot against her ear.

"Let's not think about this for now. Do you trust me?" he asked, his breath tickling her ear.

"Always," she answered, hoping that his discovery wouldn't quell the moment at hand.

His head still bowed, his lips touched her neck, and for a moment she thought he wished to take her blood.

"Zero, do you…?"

"No. Not now," he assured her, his kisses maddeningly slow and calculated. She felt his fingers, tracing absent lines across her stomach, a shudder running through her. He pulled her closer, his free hand once again moving, past the small wounds and around to the inside of her thigh. Yuuki sucked in a breath, his intentions become increasingly clear. She'd never experienced such a thing before, and the moment, though a bit frightening, was absolutely enchanting to her. His hand moved further, cupping the warmth between her thighs, causing a small moan to escape her.

This was like some sort of blissful torture, her head tilting back as she arched into his hand, his teeth raking lightly along the soft skin of her neck. Noticing her responses, Zero charted further along his path, his fingers slipping beneath the bit of black lace that was keeping him from his destination.

Her voice sounded softly as his fingers touched the pearl of her being, stroking her slowly, deliberately. He continued, taking in her every gasp and moan, the beautiful feeling of her body straining in his grip. His arm remained tight about her waist, his fingers quickening their movements between her thighs. A flash of smug delight washed over him, knowing that he was the first to ever touch her like this…the first to make her voice sound in the night.

"Zero," she breathed, her nails digging into his thigh.

"Yes?" he inquired, still teasing her with his wicked fingers.

"Take my blood. Now," she ordered, tilting her head to the side to allow him access to her neck.

The twin puncture wounds remained from their earlier session, though the force of her demand told him that he should do as she bade. After a moment, his bloodlust had awakened, his fangs extending against his lips before he sank them into her neck, hearing the pleasured sigh that left her as he did so. As he drank from her, he felt her small hand slide over his as he continued stroking her, the nails of her other hand still digging into his thigh. He hardly noticed the discomfort, too involved in the overwhelmingly sensual moment that was transpiring between them.

He suckled her neck hard, his strokes becoming ever faster, until her body shook in his grasp, the climax at last overtaking her. He could taste it in her blood, the rapture she felt. It pleased him to no end, to know that he was responsible for her pleasure. He forced himself to break away, his tongue pressing against the small puncture wounds he'd inflicted upon her until the blood had ceased its flow.

Zero held her, taking note that he was hard as a rock and that he was pressing into her lower back, though he made no immediate plans to change his position. He waited, wondering if allowing himself this pleasure had been the moral thing to do. A moment later, he laughed to himself. What was morality, anyway? Nothing he had any use for, that he was sure of.

Yuuki lay against him, her breath still labored, tremors still running through her body. Her hand remained upon his, his arm still wrapped loosely about her waist. Silent moments passed, the rain beating against the far window, thunder rumbling now and then.

Her mind was again full, of what had just transpired between she and Zero…of what had occurred the night before. Though seriously disturbed by it, she recognized to correlation between her pain and pleasure. As he took her blood, it only served to heighten her bliss, the feeling almost overwhelming. She felt so close to him when he drank from her, and now they'd shared something even more intimate. Before she could once again be overwhelmed, his baritone voice released her from her thoughts.

"You really _do_ trust me," he noted, watching as she turned herself to face him, still sitting between his knees.

"Did you ever doubt it?" she asked, a smile touching her lips as his fingers caressed her cheek.

"Since that's the case, promise you won't keep anything from me. I need to know you're safe," he said, "with the exception of what I do to you…though you seemed to enjoy it a moment ago," he noted, causing a blush to stain her cheeks.

But he spoke the truth. Though she knew that he felt guilty for taking blood from her, perhaps if he knew she actually enjoyed it, it wouldn't plague him so harshly. That, in turn, would take a bit of weight off her own shoulders.

"Actually, I did. I feel very close to you…bound to you, when you…"

"You _are_ bound to me, Yuuki, as I am to you. But I still feel like a fiend," he told her, pulling her to him and touching his lips to hers lightly.

"I wish you'd stop saying that. I'm telling you…it's fine. It's my choice and I wouldn't want it any other way," she said, feeling a bit weak from their passionate encounter.

"Whatever you say. Now, as for these," he said, pushing her skirt up above her wounded thigh, "you have no reason to do this, and I'm more than willing to keep you…occupied…so you don't have time to sit around and blame yourself for things beyond your control," he told her, a sly smile gracing his lips.

His lips touched her cheek, then the other, before touching her lips once more. Her hands framed his face as he took hold of her, laying her down upon the mattress once again. He was offering things she could only imagine, and the though thrilled her. After what she'd just encountered, she could only imagine what he'd expose her to next.

In his arms, Yuuki felt the shame she felt in herself slipping away, being replaced by something totally foreign, though it seemed so familiar somehow.

"Zero," she said, her lips brushing his as she spoke. He looked down at her, taking in the beautiful sight of her flushed cheeks and half-lidded eyes.

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

He realized the complications that had been added to their already complicated relationship, and even imagining anything further was enough to make him ache. But looking at her lying there under him, there was no way on Earth he could deny her anything, nor would he. Anything she wanted, he would gladly give, including his very life. It had been hers from the start, after all.

"If you'd like," he told her. Only then did she feel the product of her provocation, pressing into the core of her being. Her curious hands moved down, gripping his arousal, causing a growl to rumble in his throat.

"Be careful, Yuuki," he warned, "unless you want me to lose control of myself."

She smiled again before she spoke.

"We all have to lose control sometimes, Zero."

~*~*~*~

**WOW, so that's that, as they say! Cliffies much? I'm gonna' get death threats if I keep doing this…**

**So let me know what you think and I'll be busy typing out Chapter 4, provided of course that you guys WANT me to…**

***Cosmic Moon Baby***


	4. Bound

**Thanks to those that have reviewed so far. Much appreciation! **

**I don't own the characters of Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino DOES. **

**Sooooo…Lemony goodness ahead **

**And now, Chapter 4.**

~*~*~*~

The words surprised him, coming from her. However, Yuuki, as he had learned only a short time before, wasn't nearly as innocent as she seemed to be. His lips tingled from their heated kisses, pain surging up into his stomach due to the very real state of his arousal. He groaned as her hands continued to touch him, her curiosity like that of a child that had discovered a new play thing.

Yuuki had even surprised herself, though her words and actions as of late had done nothing but that. This boy…this man was doing wickedly strange things to her psyche, though she was guilty as well. She realized the position she was in, the things that had occurred as of late burned into her mind. As he'd held her, his hand wreaking ungodly havoc between her thighs, she'd forgotten about her worries entirely. All the pain, the frustration and fear had been chased away as she reclined against him, satisfied with the knowledge that he was there with her. But now, the game they played was intensifying, straying into a realm where neither had ever dared to venture.

She was snapped from her thoughts as his hands took hold of her skirt, unzipping it and sliding it down her legs. It was soon discarded along with her shirt, leaving her feeling a bit vulnerable in what she realized were the eyes of a hungry predator. In his eyes, she saw his lust, but not for her blood. He'd been sated with it twice today, and now, his lavender eyes called for something more, almost begging for her to grant what he most desired.

"I've always imagined," he said, "touching you like this. If you don't want it, push me away."

God, how could she not want it? What a ridiculous thought, she mused, her eyes trailing along his chest, down his stomach and below to his affliction. She had no idea as to what she was doing, so she allowed her instincts to guide her, her hands smoothing up his bare chest, admiring his lithe beauty. Her arms gathered him, gently pulling him down atop her, their lips melding together as they delighted in the taste of one another.

The storm raged on outside, though neither was anything but oblivious to it. Bathed in candlelight, the two continued to explore one another, their senses in overdrive as hands roamed along randomly charted paths and lips met again and again in the dim light.

"What do you want?" he asked, his arms snaking behind her to pull her up against his chest. He sat there, the diminutive girl in his arms, unable to keep his lips from hers for long, his need for her nearly enough to crush any self restraint he'd ever possessed. He'd reined it in for so long, holding himself in check. His urges had only intensified after he'd tasted her blood. He could taste the same want flowing through her. Her essence nearly screamed it and he was more than willing to show her that his thoughts mirrored her own. Yuuki pulled back, looking up into his face. His striking features were highlighted by the candlelight, the flames dancing in his eyes.

"I want to see you," she said simply, her small hands fumbling with the button of his jeans. His blood ran hot as he watched her. Though her movements were a bit shaky, she was more than determined to accomplish what she'd set out to do.

With a bit of assistance, the pile of clothing in the floor grew, Zero reclining before her clad only in a pair of red and black plaid boxers.

She leaned forward, quickly being caught up in his arms. He kissed her, his want unmistakable, his fingers tangled roughly in her hair. Her small hands moved down his sides, slipping down to touch his bare stomach. His lips pulled back, hovering a breath above hers as her hands slipped under the band of his boxers, taking hold of his straining manhood. He groaned as she touched him, the moment nearly enough to overwhelm him. He questioned his own sanity, knowing full well that if anyone found out what they were doing, there would be hell to pay. But at the time, he couldn't force himself to care.

Her touch was pure heaven, the only touch he longed for in the world. It was her gentle hands that broke through the barrier of bitterness and rage that he'd erected around himself long ago. Only she held this power over him.

She seemed enchanted by her discovery, her lips quivering against his lightly as she continued her exploration. Zero closed his eyes, trying desperately to keep himself collected. However, her attention was making it quite difficult to do so.

Unable to hold himself in check any longer, he removed his last article of clothing, the site of his naked form causing her to gasp softly. He didn't seem the least bit modest, his arms reaching for her. She allowed him to pull her to him willingly, his arousal pressing hard into her center, flames dancing within her. She felt his hands at her back, the black lace covering her soon falling away, leaving just a piece of black lace between them.

Something struck her then, her body positively pliant in his grip. This was far beyond anything she'd ever imagined and she knew what they were doing was forbidden. She was surprised to discover that the thought thrilled her, every fear and apprehension she'd previously felt having dissipated into nothing. In his arms, there could be no wickedness in the world. At that very moment, she knew nothing save for that she loved him, he who had always been by her side…had always watched over her like some dark guardian angel. He'd become so much more than that now, her former childhood friend. Her body craved his touch, longed for it like nothing else.

Her hands continued along their paths, gliding over his skin, feeling the taught muscles under her hands. His lips touched her neck, trailing soft kisses along her skin where his fangs usually found her. Trailing further down, his kisses landed upon her throat, flowing then between her breasts. Yuuki held him tightly to her, gasping as his teeth gently snagged one pert nipple, his tongue then circling it slowly. She gasped softly, fingers tangled in his silvery hair, his hips grinding against hers as she straddled his lap. The familiar scent of him surrounded her, the feeling of his tongue tracing along her naked flesh enough to drive her mad.

Her eyes looked him through, seeming to beg permission for what she dare not request aloud.

"I'm all yours," he assured her, watching her intently as she ran her hands over what seemed to be every last inch of him, her explorations causing him to groan aloud.

He nearly lost himself entirely as he felt her lips close around him, his eyes gazing down upon her dark head as she bowed over him, perched between his legs.

He couldn't help but to reach out, his fingers threading loosely through her russet tresses as he continued to watch her, the feeling of her tongue sliding along his length nearly his undoing.

Something had broken free from within her, and she found herself reveling in the sounds he made…the sounds she was drawing forth from him as she tasted him.

Suddenly, his hands were on her shoulders, pushing her back. She looked at him, afraid she'd done something wrong, though his words soon assured her otherwise.

"Yuuki…" he breathed, laying her down onto the mattress once more. His eyes held her as he removed the last barrier between them, seeming to tear through her.

"Is this what you want? We can't go back once we…"

"I want you. Right now, that's all I'm sure of. I just want to be with you," she told him earnestly, watching with great curiosity as he moved away from her. She continued to watch as he opened the drawer of his nightstand, pulling out a small black box. She soon realized what he was holding, her cheeks warming. What was he doing with those?

He opened the box, removing one of the contents before stashing the box once more. He looked at her, a smirk appearing upon his face.

"When did you…?"

"Wishful thinking…but I got them anyway. That time I told you to stay here while I went out," he said, still smirking.

After a moment, he tossed the wrapper in the trash can, climbing back onto his bed and hovering over her. She made no movement, save to reach her arms towards him, sliding them around his torso. Her heart beat erratically within her chest, her breath catching as she felt his hardness against her inner thigh.

"You're sure?" he asked, though no words were spoken. She only pulled him down upon her, her lips claiming his, giving him the answer he needed.

She cried out softly as he broke through the only barrier left between them, and for a moment he stopped, terrified that he'd hurt her. She only pulled him closer, her legs spreading wide to accommodate him. He moved experimentally within her, slowly, until he heard her soft moans echoing around him. Increasing his pace, he became utterly lost, not knowing where he stopped and she began, the sight of the pleasure written across her beautiful face seared into his mind.

He ground out her name, feeling every movement of her small body, reveling in the feeling of his senses reaching their peak. Her scent bombarded him, enveloped him just as her body enveloped him, leaving him nearing the end of his control.

He heard her voice chanting his name, a beautiful sound, one he'd longed to hear for so very long. Moving more forcefully within her, he felt her fingernails digging into the flesh of his back, driving him on. He wanted to hear her sweet voice cry out, to hear her reach her end.

His body seemed made for hers, like pieces of an intricate puzzle. Yuuki clung to him, a dark thought creeping into her mind. What if this was the only time she'd be with him like this? She had no idea how much time he had left, or if he would do something foolish due to his affliction. Pushing all thoughts from her mind, she concentrated only on him, of the feeling of him within her, of the pleasant weight of his body atop her.

Her entire body felt hot, the fingers of one hand tangling in his hair as her head tilted back, mouth open in a silent cry. Suddenly, her body was in spasms around him, his voice groaning as he too met his end, his body becoming still.

Yuuki lay there, breathless and in a slight daze. After a moment, she felt his body leave her before returning shortly afterward. He gathered her close, his breaths still heavy as her head fell to his shoulder. Though neither had noticed, the storm continued raging on outside, thunder clapping loudly, seeming to shake the entire building. Her hand came to rest upon his chest, feeling his heart beating madly beneath her palm.

"Bound in blood. And now…" she whispered, his lips touching her forehead.

Yuuki thought of all the secrets being hidden from everyone at the academy. The Day Class had no idea that those of the Night Class were vampires, nor that Zero was one. No one, not even Kaname or the Chairman knew of what she'd done to herself…only Zero was privy to that information. And now this. What they'd shared could never be known, not by Yori, not by anyone. Not yet, anyway. It would bring about too much chaos, and she was sure that Kaname would have Zero's blood if he knew.

The thought of Kaname put her ill at ease. It was he who had rescued her from being torn to shreds by a Level E vampire ten years ago. She'd looked up to him since, even harboring a bit of a crush on the Pureblood noble for quite a while. If he knew…gods, if he found out…

She pushed the thoughts from her mind, knowing in her heart that she'd done nothing wrong. Whatever feelings she held for Kaname, they had long ago been shadowed by what she felt for the man lying next to her, his breathing finally steadying. He was the only one that she could share everything with, her pleasure and her pain, her fears and her dreams. They relied on one another and had since they were children. The trust she put in him was unparalleled and she knew that she'd made the right decision, though this did complicate things further. She imagined that their caution would have to increase tenfold now to ensure that no one discovered their secrets.

"Yuuki?" came his voice, snapping her out of her momentary stupor.

"So many things are guarded here. I hate feeling like I'm living a lie," she told him, feeling him shift as he turned his body towards her. His thumb stroked along her cheek, causing her to sigh mightily.

"I have to be so many people," she added, lacing her fingers with his as he looked down at her.

"No. You just need to be Yuuki. That's it," he assured her.

"I'm sorry so much has been put on your shoulders. You don't deserve what you've been dealt," he said, fully expecting what she said next.

"And you do? Zero, we've both been living lies, and all for some greater good. I feel like I can't fully trust anyone but you," she told him, "because you understand."

"Now we have even more to hide," she nearly whispered, causing his heart to burn within his chest.

"Yuuki, I don't want you to…to regret what it is we've done," he said. She leaned up, her lips touching his gently.

"It's the last thing I'd regret," she told him earnestly.

His arms went around her, holding her as if she were the most precious treasure on Earth, one that would surely fade away if he loosed his grip.

"I'm tired, Zero," she muttered, quite comfortable in his arms.

"Get some rest, then. It's late," he noted, feeling her snuggle in closer against him.

He pulled the sheet up over them before leaning back in against her, his lips touching her forehead.

Zero was fully aware of the consequences that would await him, should a certain Pureblood discover what had occurred between himself and the girl lying next to him. So much weighed upon his mind that he was sure he'd find no sleep this night. However, knowing that Yuuki was safe in his arms chased away much of his concern. This was where she belonged, in his arms and away from prying, hungry eyes. He knew that she felt as though she owed Kaname her life. But that, Zero thought, didn't mean he had control over it, though at times it seemed as though Kaname himself thought just that.

His thoughts heavy, Zero lay there for a while, until he heard the soft sounds of sleep coming from the girl in his arms. At least she had found peace tonight. That was all he could ask for.

~*~*~*~

**Chapter 4 DONE! There's your dose of lemony goodness…lemme' know what you think! Drop some reviews on me! Zero in plaid boxers. Now that's jus' SILLY! ;P **

***Cosmic Moon Baby* **


	5. Thoughts

**Thanks muchly for those that have been so kind as to drop a review. **

**OOC-ness a plenty and lots of thinking in this chappy. Let's find out what will happen, shall we? On to Chapter 5!**

**P.S.-I don't own the characters of Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino DOES. **

~*~*~*~

In the wee hours of the morning, Yuuki stirred, the candles on Zero's dresser having burned out during the night, leaving the room dark. Her first thought was to panic, after recalling what had occurred between herself and her silver haired partner the only a few hours before.

It was now Sunday and she knew how the Chairman liked to sleep in, never appearing until well after eleven each Sunday morning. However, despite that fact, she knew that she couldn't allow herself the pleasure of lazing in Zero's arms any longer than she already had. She dreaded all the creeping around they would have to do in order to see one another, both for his blood taking sessions and…other various activities.

Smiling upon remembering their time together, Yuuki gazed over at the still sleeping young man beside her, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath he took. He was a beautiful sight to her eyes, the fact that he was there beside her most comforting indeed. Her hand reached out, brushing his hair away from his face. Soon after, his eyes opened, his arms immediately stretching out to embrace her. His warmth spreading through her, Yuuki sighed, knowing that it was time to make good her escape.

"I have to go," she said softly, his protests following soon after.

"It's early. You don't have to go yet," he told her, pulling her even closer against his warm body.

The temptation was great, especially after his lips found hers, his kiss causing the familiar flame to roar to life within her.

"You're not allowed to do that," she protested, nearly losing herself to his touch once again.

Resorting to her own brand of torture, Yuuki rolled atop him, a smirk gracing her face.

"You and I both know that if I don't go, I'll be here all day. Then we'd be caught and the Chairman would have both our heads on a platter. So," she concluded, "I really think I should go."

A small yelp left her as he rolled her over, his body hovering over her, a smile on his lips.

"Just a bit longer," he said, his kissing her softly in the darkness.

It didn't take much for her to be swayed, and she noticed that his body was already responding to their contact. Her small hands came to rest upon his cheeks, a sigh leaving her.

"You're a wicked tease," she accused, before finding herself lost in his embrace once more.

~*~*~*~

At around 7 a.m. he finally released her, though he did so reluctantly, allowing her to retreat to her bedroom. She'd had to look all about the room for her clothes, which had been tossed in all directions a few hours ago. He'd been a hindrance as she'd tried to dress, stealing her breath with his kisses and his hands giving her chills. She'd finally had to retreat across the room just to pull on her skirt, though smiling all the while. He'd gotten dressed as well, donning a pair of ripped jeans and a white t-shirt, watching her as she pulled her shirt over her head carefully. His eyes landed upon the bandage, his heart aching as he remembered seeing the gashes on her arm.

He made his way over to her, tilting her chin up with his fingers. Standing on her toes, she leaned up, placing one last kiss upon his lips. Truth be told, she'd rather have stayed in supplementary classes for the entire day than leave him, but she knew that she had no choice, else they be found out, and that wasn't an option at the moment.

"Zero? Are we…ok?" she asked suddenly, taking note of the rapid change in his expression.

" Of course we are. Why would you ask that?" he wondered, hurt appearing in his eyes.

"It's nothing. I'm just…a lot has changed lately. I'm just trying to catch up, I guess. I'll find you later, ok?" she asked, watching as he brought her hand to his lips, kissing her palm.

" I'll be around if you need me. Remember what I said before. I'm right here," he assured her. She nodded before he opened the door for her, poking his head out, assuring that the coast was clear before she stepped out into the hallway. She gave him one last look before making her way stealthily down the empty hallway and back to her room in the girl's dorm. Luckily for her, Yori was visiting home for Spring Break, so there was no one to disturb when she got back to her room.

She stopped in only long enough to gather a change of clothes, tossing the ones she'd been wearing into the laundry hamper in the corner. Then, she was off to the Chairman's quarters for a shower. At times she felt a bit snobbish, as she always took her showers in his bathroom as opposed to using the showers in the girl's dorm. But, it was easier than carrying all her bath products back and forth. That and she only had to share it with Zero and the Chairman as opposed to scores of other girls.

As she walked, she noted the soreness of certain parts of her body, her mind drifting to the moments she'd shared with Zero. She closed her eyes as images assaulted her, nearly causing her to trip herself up as she walked. Recalling his naked flesh against her own was almost more than she could handle at the time, so she attempted to force herself to think of something else…anything else. But her efforts were futile, the same recollections sweeping over her moments later. She cursed under her breath. If she continued to act so obvious, everyone would know that something was amiss.

Again, she thought to herself that there were far too many secrets being kept around the academy. Even so, some she knew would completely destroy the fragile balance that was upheld there. All out war would break out, should Kaname discover her secrets. Her thoughts drifted from those of the night hours before to the Pureblood vampire. He was such an enigma, but it was he that had first brought her to the Chairman when she was only a child. He had saved her from a wicked fate and for that she was grateful. However, the possessive nature he held over her grew tiresome now and then. She knew that it drove Zero to near madness and that it would only be worse on him now, after they'd shared themselves with one another.

Yuuki blushed slightly at the thought. It was no wickedly realistic dream…she really _had_ given herself to him, body and soul. The bond they now shared was one unlike any other she'd known before. She felt a certain allegiance to Kaname, after what he'd done and all the years he'd been kind to her. But Zero needed her, really needed her. And she needed to feel that someone needed her, especially now, when things felt turned upside down. She'd always had burdens to carry but now things were becoming a bit ridiculous. She came at last to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

~*~*~*~

Zero walked to the kitchen, thoughts heavy on his mind. What had he allowed himself to do? He'd found himself suspended in his own most vivid fantasy only hours before, but now his guilt was catching up to him. He already hated himself for relying on her so much, for treating her like prey whenever his bloodlust took him over. As if things weren't bad enough, now he'd taken her body as well, which left him totally torn. On one hand, he couldn't be more pleased with himself. He'd finally given in to the one thing that he'd desired, yet denied himself for so long. He'd gotten a taste of what it was like, to totally lose himself, to give himself fully to the girl that had held his fragile heart in his hands since they were children.

On the other, he'd taken even _more_ from her, this time something she'd never be able to recover. However, she'd been more than willing, that he was sure of. If he hadn't been, he'd not have gone through with it at all. Her eyes had spoken volumes, his want reflected back at him as he looked into their dark depths.

Still, he felt as though he'd done something wrong…defiled this precious girl that he held so dear. He was ashamed that he was so terrible at expressing his own emotions. He guessed that no one had a clue as to how he truly felt about her, not even Yuuki herself…save for maybe Kuran. The Pureblood had seen Zero's jealous streak many a time, all on Yuuki's account. Zero smiled to himself, a smile no one else would ever see as he turned the corner, nearing the kitchen. My, what Kuran wouldn't do now, if he knew what had occurred between them. It was a good thing he wasn't the telling type.

Still, he was concerned about Yuuki. She'd been through so much lately, and he worried that this would only agitate her already unstable existence further. She'd blamed herself for so much when in reality none of it had been her doing. Now things had been complicated further, but he vowed to not allow it to change anything. Despite the fact that he hated himself for it, he did, in fact, need her blood to survive. She'd made a point to declare that she would continue sharing her blood with him to keep him from dropping to a Level E, and by now he realized that there was no arguing with her over it. His lust for her blood had become so that it was difficult to control at times, but still he resisted, if only to assure himself that he'd tried.

He arrived in the kitchen, which he thankfully found to be empty. It was early yet, and the only other soul on campus was the Chairman, who was apparently still asleep. Zero flipped the tap, filling a glass with water and bringing it to his lips. He recalled the feeling of Yuuki's small body, writhing beneath him, clinging to him with all her might. Her lips, her skin, had tasted so sweet and he could still faintly taste her on his lips. It was surely a forbidden pleasure, what they'd shared. He wondered if this had been the right time for it to take place. Surely she was confused and obviously overwhelmed, as evident by what she'd done to herself.

The silver haired youth sighed mightily, pouring the rest of the water down the drain. Whatever happened, he vowed to himself that nothing would keep them apart. They _were_ bound, and nothing, no one could change that, not even an overbearing Pureblood with a penchant for making his blood boil.

~*~*~*~

Yuuki stared out over the grounds, perched under a huge oak tree. The storms had ceased, the sun shining high in the sky today. Things had dried out and the breeze blowing was warm, tossing her hair about as it blew over her. It was late in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day having passed long ago, leaving it quite comfortable out.

Though she'd tried hard to fight it, her mind had won and all she could think about were the burdens of her secrets. Rubbing her neck, her fingers landed on the small fang wounds Zero had left in his wake. A shiver ran through her as she thought of his lips touching her neck, just before his fangs sank deep into her flesh. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the tree, stretching her legs out before her. She picked at the frayed hem of her cut off jean shorts, her thoughts racing as they had been for many days.

What would things be like when everyone returned from break? She and Zero would go back to their duties as prefects, having to act as though nothing were out of the ordinary. She saw no public displays of affection in their future, not unless they wanted to bring discord.

"What do we do? Just hide it until we graduate?" she wondered aloud, the thought displeasing her greatly. Wait two years until she graduated to reveal that she'd been with Zero for that long? How could she possibly keep such a secret for that long? Surely she'd slip up.

There was the fact that they'd always been close, however. Perhaps no one would suspect much of anything. She was always pulling him around by the hand anyway, so maybe it wouldn't seem so suspect.

"We could date," she resolved, leaning back against the ancient tree trunk.

"What would be wrong with that? Everyone else gets to," she griped.

Did being a prefect also mean that she wasn't allowed to even have a boyfriend? Or was it just that she wasn't allowed to have Zero as one? As she thought about it, she mused that the Chairman would even become giddy over the idea of the two of them together. He'd watched them grow close over the years, after all. She figured he'd be the least surprised of anyone.

Kaname, however, would not be so kind. He and Zero had always been rather unpleasant to one another, and she knew it was mostly because of her, despite what Zero told her. He'd said he hated Kaname because he was a vampire, but now he was one himself.

"So he hates himself that much," she muttered, saddened by the realization. She wanted nothing but good things for Zero, as his life had been filled with nothing but pain and hatred. But the Zero she'd come to know was different than who everyone else assumed him to be. On the outside, he was cold and harsh, pushing everyone as far away as possible. Somehow, though, she'd managed to break through every barrier he'd erected and had discovered him to be one of the kindest people she'd ever known. Perhaps, she thought, that kindness was reserved for her alone. Even still, he had his moments. He was sometimes even grossly insensitive to her, which always drove her mad. He could alternate between being hot and cold very quickly, but that was just part of his nature. She'd grown fairly used to it by now, though he still sometimes caught her off guard.

As she sat pondering this and that, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. As she turned, she was nearly scared witless to see that it was none other than Kaname standing there, his silk shirt only partially buttoned, a smile gracing his lips.

~*~*~*~

**Yay, cliffies! I'm totally going to get shot if I keep this up. I'm so wrong…and I think I lied. This fic may turn out to be longer than I had initially anticipated. Oops. **

**Please review! :D**

***Cosmic Moon Baby***


	6. Deception

**This fic involves self injury **_**triggers**_**, so if you're dealing with SI, this may not be the best fic for you to read. **

**Thanks for the reviews so far! I hope to get more soon! *wicked laughter***

**Expect some OOC-ness and drama ahead…**

**I don't own the characters of Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino DOES.**

**This chapter is dedicated to CrimzonRozeAlchemist, my most loyal reader. Hope you like it! :D**

~*~*~*~

Yuuki nearly lost her breath as he stepped forward, stopping just in front of her under the mighty oak tree. That smile nearly killed her, his perfect features soft as he looked down upon her, his dark hair slightly disheveled due to the breeze.

Her mind wouldn't function, something that always seemed to occur when she was in the Pureblood's presence. It was overwhelmingly uncomfortable to be near him these days, especially if they were alone like this.

After a few moments of silence, he spoke, his velvety voice breaking her from her stupor.

"You weren't expecting me," he noted, holding his position as she scrambled to her feet, hastily brushing herself off.

"Kaname-senpai," she greeted, unable to keep herself from bowing slightly. It was an automatic response, one that always embarrassed her a bit.

"Must we always be so formal, Yuuki? At any rate, what were you thinking, under this wise old tree?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

To her horror, his head tilted back, just as Zero's had before when he'd recognized the presence of the smell of blood.

"Kiryu's been using you," he stated, anger evident in his voice. His arm reached out, snagging her about the waist and pulling her close against him. His head bowed over her, and she could hear him inhale deeply.

Her palms pushed against his chest, attempting to put a bit of space between them. His arm wouldn't budge, his fingers soon tracing along her neck, running over the tiny puncture wounds Zero had left behind.

Anger rose in his face. She could see it and it scared her witless. Kaname wasn't one to cross. His cool and collected exterior shadowed the rage that he kept within and she knew exactly what he was capable of. He wouldn't hurt her, but it was Zero she was fearful for. Still, Kaname was too close. She pushed harder, until he finally relented, releasing her from his grasp.

His anger mixed with hurt as he looked down at her, flames burning within his dark eyes. She looked away before she could become entranced by them, taking a step back.

"Why, Yuuki? Why do you allow him to…?"

"He does nothing wrong," she choked out, "nothing that you yourself don't do. I've seen you take from Ruka until she collapsed, and yet you blame Zero for his thirst. It's the same as yours," she said, a bit more harshly than she'd intended.

He pondered his rebuttal for a moment, the topic obviously a sore one for the girl before him…his girl, as he liked to think of her. The mere thought of that mongrel Zero touching her, drinking from her…he nearly lost himself to rage after thinking of such things. However, he had no intention of scaring her, and he had a point to make.

"He has blood tablets. We all take them and he should be no exception," he ground out, attempting to keep his nasty temper in check.

"They make him sick," she shot back, clapping her hand over her mouth after exposing one of Zero's weaknesses to his mortal enemy.

"Well, then. So that makes it ok for him to use you as his victim, does it?" he wondered.

"I'm no victim, Senpai. What I do I do willingly, and will continue to do so willingly as long as I have to," she said firmly, standing her ground despite how intimidating he'd become.

"You're much too kind hearted for your own good, Yuuki. You should watch who you put so much trust into," he warned, stepping forward to caress her cheek. His touch almost seemed to burn, so different than the feeling of Zero's hands upon her.

"You're wrong about Zero. You should try to be nicer to one another," she said, feeling his arm slip around her waist once more.

"I only care about one thing, Yuuki, and that's your safety. I can't have him hurting you like this," Kaname told her.

Perhaps now wasn't the time to tell him that she actually enjoyed having Zero take her blood, that it had become something more erotic than she'd imagined it could be.

"He won't hurt me, Senpai. I know he won't," she affirmed, her arms hanging limply at her sides.

"I just want my girl to be protected," he nearly whispered, and only then did she notice how close his lips were to hers, hovering a mere breath above them.

Panic set in, her body screaming for her to flee, but it was as if some unseen force was holding her in place. This, she thought, must be part of his power.

An angry shout broke her from her reverie, her head turning to see an extremely incensed Zero coming towards them, hell fire dancing in his lavender eyes.

The site before him was enough to cause him to completely lose his composure. What the fuck was Kuran doing back so early and why did he have Yuuki in his death grip?

"What the hell are you doing, Kuran?" he shouted, giving Yuuki the opportunity to slip away and take a few steps towards Zero.

"Just having a chat with my girl, Kiryu. Is that a problem?" he asked, his eyebrow raised as he awaited an answer. He noticed that he didn't have his Bloody Rose with him. If he had, it would've been in his face by now, that he was sure of.

Zero wanted to shout it to the heavens, that she would never be _his_ girl, not after what they'd experienced together. Instead, he reached out, taking Yuuki's hand in his own, pulling her even further away from the Pureblood, who had a rather devious smile plastered upon his face.

"My, my. Your temper is rather unpleasant, Kiryu. You really should learn to control it before it gets you into trouble," he said, his warning more than clear.

"You needn't worry about my temper, Kuran…only remember not to stir it. What are you doing here?" he asked, still gripping Yuuki's small hand.

"My business was done and I thought I'd come back and relax a bit before there was a full house once again. It seems as though my presence displeases you, Kiryu," the enigmatic Pureblood said smoothly.

Zero laughed before he spoke, bitterness simply dripping from his voice.

"You're very observant. I thought I'd actually have a decent week with you bloodsuckers gone," he spat.

Kaname laughed, his velvety voice seeming to ring throughout the grounds.

"Yes, _we're_ the bad ones, aren't we? You included…or have you forgotten what a monster you are? Look what you do to the girl you claim to protect," he said.

"It's no concern of yours what I do, Kuran, and I am _nothing_ like you. Remember that," Zero shot back, his temper reaching unknown heights.

Yuuki felt his hand tighten on hers, knowing that the moment was becoming more heated by the second. She had to put a stop to this before something terrible happened.

"Enough!" she shouted, effectively silencing them both. She was sick of this endless dance between them, of them always having to push each other's buttons, and all on her account.

"Senpai, why don't you retire for a while. I'm sure you're in need of rest after your trip," she suggested, a smile appearing upon his face once again. He looked at Zero, their eyes locked, fire burning between them.

"Very well. I am rather tired. Do take care of yourself, Yuuki. Remember what I've told you," he said, giving Zero one last glare before turning and taking his leave of the scene, leaving the two under the tall oak tree.

"That damned Pureblood. Who the hell does he…"

"Zero, give it a rest. This is getting really old," she told him, surprising him with her words. Was she actually taking up for Kuran?

He was equally shocked as she pulled her hand from his, beginning to walk back towards the Chairman's quarters.

He took hold of her arm, being careful not to grab the injured one, watching as she turned to look at him. Zero was horrified to see tears welling up in her cinnamon eyes, feeling like a total idiot for allowing his temper to take him over.

"Yuuki, I…"

"Don't worry about it, Zero. I just need to be alone for a bit," she told him, turning away before he could see her tears fall.

Reluctantly, he released her, his heart clenching in his chest as he watched her begin to run. But that was what he did best, he thought: alienate people.

His temper still running hot, he decided that a trip to the firing range was exactly what he needed. Feeling utterly alone, he shoved his hands in his pockets, setting off for his room to retrieve the Bloody Rose.

~*~*~

More blood. She watched it flow down the shower drain, the sting chasing away the pain in her heart. Why did they always have to act like this? She'd retrieved her hidden razor blades from the medicine cabinet, stepping under the warm water of the shower with one in hand. This time, she'd taken her vengeance on her upper thigh, the bright red blood flowing down her leg from the gashes she made on her skin.

There was something oddly soothing about seeing her blood washing down the drain, a strange sort of release of all the emotional pain that had washed over her before. For a time, there was nothing but relief, though she knew it would be short lived. A few minutes later, she felt so foolish, knowing that there was someone that cared for her despite everything else. She'd shared everything with him: her body, her blood…everything, and yet she still did this to herself, knowing that he was there for her when she needed him most.

But this constant fighting between Zero and Kaname was driving her mad. Why couldn't they just accept one another? They were more alike than either knew, and yet they insisted on nearly coming to blows each time they met, and all because of her. She hated herself for it, for bringing discord to the academy. However, she couldn't help how she felt about Zero, or how she felt about Kaname. She wouldn't allow either to harm the other and yet she had no qualms with hurting herself. She realized how horrified they would be, should either find out what she'd done once again.

This time was worse than before, gashes all along the top and side of her right thigh, some long and some short and deep, blood flowing like tributaries down her pale leg. The sting of the water beating down upon the fresh cuts was painful and she moved her leg out from under the falling water, blood still flowing, landing upon the shower floor.

She finished up, rinsing the blood from the shower so as not to leave a trace of what she'd done behind. Leaning precariously out of the shower, she plucked a few tissues off the back of the toilet and held them to her thigh, a part of her wishing that Zero were there to tend to her wounds as he had before. She'd have to do what he had in order to keep he and Kaname from discovering her fresh wounds.

Digging around through the first aid kit, she found another tube of liquid stitches, sitting it on the counter before she hid her blade away with the others, tucking them behind some bottles in the cabinet. She then pressed the tissues against her thigh, blood quickly soaking through as she tried to stop the bleeding. She retrieved some more tissues, holding them to her thigh until the bleeding had subsided, her eyes washing over the gashes covering her thigh. The sight was almost sickening to her, disbelief washing over her. How could she do this to herself? The shame came quickly, as it had before. But she wasted no time on tears. They wouldn't fall, even if she wanted them to.

Yuuki flushed the bloody tissues, then taking the tube of liquid stitches and beginning to carefully apply it to the deeper cuts on her thigh. It was a bit difficult to do alone, but she managed to get it done, then taping two gauze toppers on top of her wounds. Finally, she wrapped her thigh with a long strip of gauge bandage, wrapping it around twice before securing it with a few metal tabs. She hoped that it would be enough to keep the smell of blood to a minimum, but if not, she also had a backup plan.

~*~*~*~

Yuuki walked into the kitchen, immediately being greeted by the Chairman as he happily chopped vegetables for dinner.

"Yuuki!" he cooed, having not seen his adopted daughter in quite a while.

"Where have you and Kiryu-kun been hiding?" he wondered, the mention of Zero causing her ears to perk.

"Just hanging around, trying to enjoy the weather. You haven't seen Zero today?" she asked, taking a spot next to him. She found another knife in the utensil drawer and began helping him chop carrots for the surely god awful stew he was preparing.

"No, he's been like a ghost today. I've no idea what he's been up to," Chairman Cross said, just before his daughter's painful shout echoed throughout the room.

She'd purposefully sliced her finger open, her ploy to keep her self inflicted wounds hidden from the vampires on the premises. Now if they questioned the smell of blood, she could show them her wounded finger, and that would be that.

"Oh, Yuuki," the Chairman chided, dropping his knife and grabbing her arm. He ripped a paper towel from the roll and wrapped her finger, holding it tightly.

"You should be more careful. I swear, you've got to be the clumsiest thing," he muttered, holding her hand above her head to help stop the bleeding. She rolled her eyes, his concern always exaggerated.

"I'm ok. Just a little bit of a sting," she assured him. After a moment, he brought her arm down, carefully removing the towel to examine her injury.

"Oooo," he cringed, taking in the sight of the still bleeding jagged cut. It was fairly deep, and for a moment he felt a bit queasy. Taking control of the situation, he made his declaration.

"This could use stitches, Yuuki. How did you manage this so suddenly?" he wondered, wrapping the paper towel back around her finger to keep the bleeding to a minimum.

"No, I'm sure it'll be fine. I'll just wrap it up. Here," she said, managing to wrench her arm out of his grasp.

"I can handle it," she said with a wink, quickly disappearing out into the hallway.

Cross shook his head. Something was amiss, that he was sure of. But he couldn't quite pinpoint what. Sighing mightily, he went back to chopping, wondering what his adopted children were up to.

~*~*~*~

Feeling much better than before, Zero walked down the hallway, knowing that he'd be expected for dinner, even though food was the last thing on his mind. His hunger was for something else entirely, though he was trying his best to keep it at bay. It was as he neared the bathroom that the smell of her blood struck him, and he immediately thought the worst. He quickly made his way to the bathroom, stopping just outside the closed door.

"Yuuki?" he called, knowing full well that she was in there.

After a moment, the door opened, the diminutive girl appearing before him. She'd changed into jeans and a long sleeved grey henley, her russet hair a bit messy as she looked up at him, her cinnamon eyes full.

He then noticed that her index finger was wrapped up, causing his brows to furrow.

"What did you do now?" he asked, the smell muted but still unmistakable. He was sure he could pick out the scent of her blood even if the entire student body were bleeding.

"I was helping the Chairman and I cut my finger. I'm so clumsy sometimes," she muttered, watching as he lifted her hand. He turned it over in his hands, his thumb smoothing along her palm.

He looked at her, his lavender eyes soft and looking for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, for how I acted earlier. He just…gets to me," Zero told her, brushing her hair from her face tenderly.

"I know. It's not like he makes it any easier on you," she said, the sight of him enough to melt her insides. She wanted to feel his arms around her, to know that everything was alright. Her heart screamed for her to tell him what she'd really done, but her mind wouldn't allow it. She didn't want to upset him further, after all.

As if he could sense her need, his arms laced around her, pulling her in close against his chest. She felt safe there, like nothing ill had even occurred. She hugged him back, taking in the comforting, familiar scent of him, wishing that things hadn't changed so drastically.

"Could you tell the Chairman that I'm going to go lay down? I don't feel so hot," she told him, and he held her out at arm's length to look her over.

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked. She shook her head 'no'.

"He'll know something's up. But after dinner, would you come?" she asked.

"Of course. You're sure you're ok? I don't want you passing out and hitting your head or something," he teased, receiving a jab in the ribs in response.

"Yeah, I'm good. Sorry about this," she said, referring to her injured finger, knowing that it was a small torment for him.

"Don't worry. It's not too bad," he told her, his lavender eyes locked onto hers. Before she realized it, she had leaned up, steadying herself with her palms against his chest, delivering a gentle kiss to his lips. He responded in kind, backing her against the closed bathroom door, his body pressing into hers. Her arm snaked around his neck, her fingers tangling in his silvery hair as his tongue parted her lips, eliciting a soft moan from deep within her.

Before she found herself lost in his kiss, Yuuki pulled back, her arm slipping from around him. Her fingers trailed down his defined bicep and along his forearm before lacing with his. She caught his smile, and she couldn't help but smile herself. There were flames licking in the pit of her stomach, her thoughts already wandering to the next time she'd get to be alone with him, to feel his sure hands roaming over her naked skin.

"Hey. You just spaced on me," he said, giving her fingers a squeeze.

"Sorry. I was just thinking," she told him.

"What about?" he wondered, seeing the flush creep across her cheeks.

"About you and those wicked hands of yours," she answered, his smile growing at her words.

"Well, then," he said, leaning down so that his lips hovered over hers, "I'll have to show you what else they can do."

Her blush deepened at the thought, and she watched as he backed away, leaving her legs a bit shaky beneath her.

"I'll see you later," he said, before disappearing down the hallway.

She sighed, glad that her ruse had worked. He hadn't questioned her further about the smell of her blood, and for that she was grateful. Now, she wondered how she was going to get around him finding her new bandage later on in the night. She'd have to deny both him and herself what she knew they both craved: each other.

She cursed herself, knowing full well that he would find out at some point anyway. There was only so long that she could hide it from him, after all. She had to stop this. If she didn't, she knew she may lose the one thing keeping her sane in this entirely chaotic world. Before she could get too involved in her thoughts, she forced herself down the hallway towards the door, making her way to her room.

~*~*~*~

**Ok, reviews=more chapters for this fic! :) Quite frankly, if I don't get a butt ton of reviews, it's going to be a VERY long time until I update again. So there. *sticks out tongue* Ha! **

**Anyway, hope you liked Chapter 6! Chapter 7 coming soon??? We shall see…**

***Cosmic Moon Baby***


	7. Entwined

**This fic involves self injury **_**triggers**_**, so if you're dealing with SI, this may not be the best fic for you to read. **

**Thanks for the reviews so far! I love reviews. They make me all warm and fuzzy inside. ;P**

**Expect some OOC-ness and drama ahead…and lemony goodness. Just a touch. **

**I don't own the characters of Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino DOES.**

**~*~*~*~**

She was lying there innocently enough when the knock came at her door. She glanced at her clock, noting that it was nearing eleven o'clock. Yuuki got to her feet, taking a deep breath as she made her way towards her door, ignoring the pain of the cuts she'd inflicted upon her thigh. She had no idea how she was going to get him to leave tonight without hurting him. The last thing she wanted to do was reject him, especially when she wanted nothing more than to be with him, just as they were that very morning.

Her hand closed around the doorknob, turning it and pulling the door open. There he stood, leaning against the door frame, his silvery hair falling into his eyes as it was at times apt to. His lavender eyes were full, more so than she'd seen them in the longest time.

"Hey," she greeted, reaching out and taking his hand in hers. She pulled him into her room, shutting the door behind them.

She shrieked as his arms went around her, lifting her up off the floor. He held her to him, her legs wrapping themselves around his waist almost automatically.

"God, Yuuki…your blood is so damn potent. I can still smell it," he told her, his hands under her thighs to support her.

Shit. She began to panic inwardly, hoping to god that he wouldn't investigate further into why he could smell her blood so clearly. He was also going to find it odd when she denied him what he wanted most tonight: her blood and her body.

"How's your finger?" he wondered, taking her hand and holding it up for inspection. She'd wrapped it in gauze and taped it in place, but the smell was still a great temptation to him. Zero could feel his bloodlust beginning to stir and he fought to keep it at bay, at least until she gave him the go ahead to drink from her. Until then, he would wait.

"It's not so bad. The Chairman nearly got sick looking at it but it's fine. Sorry," she said, knowing how the smell of her blood got to him.

"Don't worry about it. I just want to be sure you're ok," he told her, releasing her hand in order to tangle his fingers in her russet hair. Tilting her head back, his lips found hers, nearly causing her to lose her breath. He deposited her upon her bed, his own body hovering over hers, his lips wreaking ungodly havoc. His hands were already beginning to explore, slipping under the hem of her shirt and sliding along the bare skin of her stomach. Yuuki knew that she couldn't let this continue for long, for if it did…

"Zero," she moaned, unable to stop herself from responding as his hands traveled over her body.

Before she could move to put an end to his explorations, her shirt was off, his hands cradling her against him as his lips ravaged hers, leaving her no time to breathe a word of protest. His fingers were busy unhooking her bra, and it too had soon fallen to the bed, leaving her bare from the waist up. All modesty behind, Yuuki's arms embraced him, wanting to hold him near to her.

A part of her wanted him to know what she had done to herself once again. She didn't want any secrets between them anymore, after years of secrets floating about. The other part of her wished she would never have to tell him. He'd be hurt beyond belief when he found out, that she was sure of. She knew that he was there for her, his warm arms always open to her, yet still she'd found love with a blade instead of accepting what was right in front of her. So stupid, she thought, to let all this get to her so. Things had definitely changed as of late, but one thing hadn't: Zero was still there, hadn't faded away like she was terrified he would.

Before her mind went off on another tangent, she returned to the moment at hand, pulling away to take a breath, her lips lingering just above his.

"You make it hard to resist you, you know," she whispered against his lips. She felt his smile, his hands gripping her waist.

"You make things pretty futile yourself," he said, his hands snagging the button of her jeans as he began to further disrobe her.

"Zero, wait," she said, her hands covering his and effectively stopping his progress. He looked at her, confusion written across his face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his hands becoming still under hers. He could've sworn that he saw the same lust as he had last night dancing in her eyes, and yet here she was, stopping him.

She was dumbstruck, caught like a deer in oncoming headlights. She had no decent excuse to give him, save for the truth, and that she wasn't prepared to give him.

"Yuuki?" he prompted, his thumb moving to smooth along her pale cheek. She still said nothing, her eyes averting to gaze at the wall. Something was terribly wrong, and his suspicions were growing by the second.

She gasped as he laid her onto her back, staring deeply into her eyes. She saw him look to her arm, where the bandage remained, then to her bandaged finger. His words cut into her like a white hot blade.

"You did it again," he stated, "and you were trying to keep it from me."

Her words stuck in her throat, her heart twisting within her chest. He knew her far too well.

"Where? Show me," he asked, sitting back on his heels and giving her room to sit up. She hesitated, the tone of his voice almost menacing.

"Yuuki," he prompted, his voice calm despite his apparent anger. At last she relented, getting to her feet.

"Fine. If that's what you want," she said, unzipping her jeans and shaking them to the floor. His eyes grew wide as he took in the site of her entire thigh in bandages, his mouth gaping slightly.

He sat there, not uttering a word, and that scared her more than anything. She wanted him to shout, to let his anger out on her for being so foolish. Instead, he remained silent, only watching her as she stood there. She felt so ashamed, startled as he rose from her bed, towering a good foot above her.

She watched as he dropped to his knees before her, his hands beginning to unwrap the bandage she'd wrapped around her injured thigh. He then gently peeled the gauze away from her thigh, closing his eyes as he witnessed what she'd done to herself.

He hung his head, her hand stretching out to stroke his hair before hesitating. She was afraid to touch him, afraid to speak, for fear that he'd leave. The sound of his voice startled her after so much silence, his words causing her great pain.

"Was I not enough? What I offered you… you still had to do this?" he wondered, unable to believe the sight before him. Her pale thigh was covered in gashes, nearly down to her knee. He could see that she'd already treated them with the liquid stitches, but they still looked angry.

"It's not that. Zero, don't…"

"What am I supposed to think when you keep doing this to yourself, Yuuki? What I told you obviously had no effect on you. And what happened between us…did that upset you so much that you had to hurt yourself again?" he asked, the smell of her blood flooding him. He leaned forward, noticing that a few of the cuts had begun to bleed after he'd removed the gauze. Unable to control himself, his tongue darted out, laving at the wounds, his lust for her blood become nearly unbearable. She saw him clutching at his throat as he pulled back, the taste of her blood just enough to tease him.

She reached for the discarded bandage lying on her bed, quickly wrapping her thigh once again. She could tend to it later. But right now, she had something else to concern herself with.

Her hands took his, urging him to his feet before she pushed him back onto her bed, climbing atop him, clad only in bandages and a bit of pink lace.

"You need blood," she stated, though his angry voice quickly cut her off.

"Stop changing the subject," he ground out, pulling her forcefully against him. His hands were rough, not at all like the touch she was used to.

"I don't know why I do it, ok?" she nearly shouted, trying to pull from his grasp. However, his grip was an iron one, and he obviously had no intention of letting her go.

"Maybe I'm crazy," she said softly, unable to look him in the eyes.

He forced her chin up, his eyes full of such sadness that she could hardly bear it. This hurt him like nothing else could, seeing her in pain. Surely she understood what this did to him.

"That's bullshit and you know it. Can't I be enough for you? What we have…is it not enough?" he asked again, nearly shattering her heart.

"It's nothing like that. There's just so much shit going on right now and I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I live every day not knowing whether or not you'll be here, or for how long," she said, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"We've been through this already, Yuuki. I told you, I'm not going anywhere, and I meant it. So what else is this about? Last night?" he asked, hoping that he was wrong.

"I thought you were ok with…"

"I _am_, Zero. I don't regret it, so don't think that. I wanted you, just like you wanted me. I still do," she told him, unable to keep from smoothing her hands along his cheeks.

"Then please, Yuuki. Please stop doing this to yourself. I swear to you that everything will be ok. I'm right here with you and that's where I'll stay. I'm asking you to let that be enough," he said, his arms pulling her close as he continued to fight his own primal urges.

"As sick as it sounds…seeing the blood is almost soothing. The pain chases away all these horrible feelings I have," she said, trying to explain her addiction.

"And when you and Kaname-senpai went at it again today, it just did something to me. You know I hate when you two fight, and it's all my fault," she said, her voice cracking as her tears threatened to fall.

She could feel Zero tense at the mere mention of his rival's name, though he kept his agitation in check for her sake.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. Had I known what it would cause…"

"It's my own fault. Everything's my fault," she cried, burying her face in his neck as she finally broke down, causing a mighty sight to escape her partner.

He held her against him, allowing her to cry, feeling lost as to what else he could do for her at the time. Fighting his bloodlust was becoming increasingly difficult and he couldn't think of a more inappropriate time for it to be attempting to lunge forth.

"Yuuki," he began carefully, after her small body had stopped shaking so violently, "you've got to stop blaming yourself for things that are beyond your control. And this has got to stop," he said, his fingers brushing lightly across the top of her thigh.

"I don't know if I _can_ stop," she admitted, hating herself for showing such weakness in front of him. But this was Zero, who knew her best of all. If she couldn't be herself with him, she would never be herself at all.

"If you trust me at all, if you care for me at all…let me help you overcome this," he nearly pleaded, his voice thick with emotion.

"You know that I do. I just don't want to be a burden. You've gone through so much already and I…"

"As if you haven't gone through hell yourself. But you were always there for me when I needed someone the most. I still need you, Yuuki. I need you to be strong, like you've always been," he told her, kissing her cheeks where here tears fell.

"I'm not strong. That's the problem," she sighed, already feeling a bit better due to his gentle touch.

"You're stronger than you realize. Yuuki, you've kept me alive all these years. Without you, I'd have given up long ago, especially after what Shizuka did to my family and I. But with you there, life was worth living again," he said, and she swore she was going to burst into tears once again. She'd never heard him spill his emotions like that before and it tore right through her to hear him speak those words.

She looked at him, watching the emotions play across his face. As confused as she was, Yuuki realized that he spoke the truth and that he'd truly do anything to keep her safe, even from herself. She also noted how restrained he'd been after tasting her blood, his eyes never turning their usual crimson shade when his bloodlust struck.

"You're the strong one. If I'm strong, you make me that way," she told him, her eyes closing as his lips touched hers.

"Please, Yuuki. I don't beg, but I will. Don't do this to yourself anymore. None of this is your fault," he assured her, his hunger still nagging away at him.

The pain in his voice was breaking her heart. She knew that all he'd told her was nothing but the truth and she was so ashamed that she'd taken what he'd given her for granted. Instead of turning to him, she'd turned to a blade to ease her emotional pain. And now that their relationship had deepened further, she knew that it was very important that she take his words to heart. She couldn't afford to lose him to this. She realized then that she had a choice to make. She could either trust that Zero would see her through this storm, as he always had, or she could alienate him, push him away by having no faith in him.

"Zero?" she asked, still being held close in his arms.

"What is it?" he asked, pain beginning to shoot through his chest as the smell of blood continued to linger in the air around him.

"How do you feel…about me?" she wondered, shocking him a bit. Surely she understood his feelings by now. He realized he was no good at expressing his emotions. He'd never been adept at it. But after the night before, their bodies locked together in their passion, surely she knew.

"Can't you see it? After everything we've been through…I love you," he said, surprising even himself with his words. She looked at him, her eyes glistening with tears. Her arms went around his neck, her lips brushing against his ear as she spoke.

"I love you, and it scares me to death. I'm afraid I'll mess this up, too," she confessed, leaning her cheek against his.

"You're so dense sometimes," he chided softly, turning so that their foreheads touched.

"Besides, I'm the one that always manages to fuck everything around me up. Seems like everything I touch turns to shit, which is why I've tried to keep my distance from you. But I can't do it anymore. I want you too much," he told her, his arms tight around her.

He looked at her, flames dancing in his lavender eyes. She could see his hunger growing therein, the warmth of his body permeating throughout her.

"I don't want you to fight it," she whispered, taking hold of his hands and moving them to her hips.

"Don't ever fight it again. Your desire for my blood…for my body. Give in, Zero. Don't ever think I don't want you near," she told him, her arms snaking around his neck as she pulled herself close against him, their lips hovering a mere breath apart.

"I can't help hating myself for what I put you through," he said, his voice low as his lips brushed against her own.

"Don't," she said simply, pushing him back onto her pillow as her lips met his fully, inciting a full on breakdown of his composure.

Soon, his clothes were strewn carelessly about the room, her body moving over him, drawing out his most primal nature. As she moved her body along his length, he drew her close, his lips touching her neck, signaling what was to come. She continued her movements as his fangs found her, eyes closing as the pleasure threatened to overwhelm her. Perhaps she _was _sick, she mused, to long for this so. But this was a part of him, the beast that he struggled constantly to keep in check. She accepted this part of him without fear, knowing that even in his most feral state, he would never bring her harm.

She moaned his name softly, his tongue lapping up the blood that flowed from the wounds he'd inflicted. It was both bliss and misery for the silver haired vampire, knowing how badly he hurt her and how she would never admit it to him. However, the pain seemed to have evolved into something more akin to pleasure, as he took note of the sounds she emitted as he took of her life force.

Though she felt weak, Yuuki kept her pace, clinging to her lover and friend with what strength she had left. After a moment, he had sated his hunger for her blood, effectively rolling her onto her back, never breaking their connection as he claimed her body as his own. Her fingers anchored in his hair, her body arching to meet his strokes. She felt as though she would explode into a million stars to dot the night sky, her lips meeting his fiercely as she felt her body nearing its release.

His voice joined hers as they climbed higher together, before crashing to their ends. His weight was pleasant atop her, his breathing labored, his hot breaths beating against her neck. Fingers still twined in his hair, she lay there, eyes closed, taking in the moment. The taking of her blood had left her quite weak, her head swimming a bit as she tried to regain her sense of reality. She still couldn't quite fathom that their relationship had advanced to this level, though it wasn't something she was keen on complaining about.

She felt him move away from her, immediately missing his warmth. After a few moments, he'd returned, lying beside her, his hand reaching out to caress her cheek.

"I took too much," he noted, his tongue darting out to trail across the small twin puncture wounds on her neck. The act was innocent enough, but nearly gave her chills nonetheless.

"I'm fine, Zero," she assured him, rolling into him. She pressed her bare body against his, welcoming his warmth once more.

Her eyes met his as his hand trailed along her bandaged thigh, and she could see his plea without him uttering a word.

"Promise me," he said, her heart skipping a beat. She wasn't sure she _could _uphold such a promise and was hesitant to make it for fear she'd break it.

"Yuuki, it's important to me that this stops. I'm worried about you and I don't want to see you hurt anymore," he told her, his lavender eyes telling.

She sighed, knowing that he was more important to her than anything else. She couldn't bear to lose him, especially not to something this foolish.

"Ok. I won't do it anymore. I don't want to see that look on your face ever again," she said, her hands framing his face as she kissed him tenderly.

He smiled, a beautiful sight to her eyes. He didn't smile nearly enough, she thought, brushing a silver lock of hair from his eyes.

"I'll help you," he told her, receiving a smile from her in return.

"'I bet you will. If you keep _occupying_ me, I won't have time to do anything stupid," she teased.

"It's my pleasure," he said, taking her in his arms and pressing his lips to hers. The innocent act lead to something much more intimate in nature, lasting long into the early hours of the morning before the pair finally lay spent, sleeping in the arms of the other.

~*~*~*~

The Pureblood sat, alone in the darkness of his study, fiddling with the white knight on his chess board. Suddenly, the scent of her blood hit him, causing him to throw the piece across the room with vigor. He was doing it again…using his girl to sate his disgusting hunger. The mongrel had no control, no restraint, and unfortunately for Kaname, Yuuki had chosen to allow him to continue to do it.

This, the Pureblood mused, would stop, and soon. He'd allowed Zero to continue on as usual only because Yuuki had wished it. But his patience was running thin and he was nearing the time where all formalities would be pushed aside. There was nothing he wouldn't do for Yuuki, and if he had to, he knew exactly what he would do, to keep her safe, even from her protector.

~*~*~*~

**Okee, there's Chapter 7! PLEASE DROP SOME REVIEWS ON ME! I love them so. *sniff***

**Chapter 8 coming at a time yet to be determined…**

***Cosmic Moon Baby***


	8. Rival

**This fic involves self injury **_**triggers**_**, so if you're dealing with SI, this may not be the best fic for you to read. **

**Thanks to everyone for their reviews! I really appreciate them! **

**Expect some OOC-ness and drama ahead…and it's not a secret that I greatly dislike Kaname, and this **_**IS**_** a Zeki fic, so there you go. BAM. Try not to hate me too much. ;P**

**I don't own the characters of Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino DOES.**

**~*~*~*~**

Yuuki awoke to find herself lying in familiar arms, surprised to see Zero watching her. She smiled, leaning over and placing a kiss upon his lips.

"I couldn't help watching you sleep. You're so peaceful…even though you drool," he joked, receiving a punch in the arm for his trouble.

"I do _not_," she griped, pouting as she attempted to stealthily check for evidence that she'd done such a thing, which only caused a smile to erupt across her partner's face.

"Then why are you checking to see if you did?" he wondered, catching her arm as she attempted to harm him bodily once again.

He noticed that her cheeks had reddened at his teasing, her pout an adorable sight to his eyes.

"I'm only teasing you. No need to abuse me," he griped with false irritation, watching as her blush dissipated, leaving her staring into his lavender eyes.

"Zero," she began," has this week been real? It all seems so surreal to me. I can't really wrap my mind around it all," she told him, her fingers tangling in his silver hair as she brought his lips to hers. His heart burned within his chest, his love for this girl having reached an entirely new level in the past several days.

"I feel the same way. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and realize it's all been some dream. But we're here, Yuuki, and everything is going to be ok," he assured her, knowing that she still had apprehension in her heart about the recent developments in her life.

His words had a wonderful, calming effect on her, helping to ease her mind. She watched as he rolled onto his knees, the sheet falling away and leaving him bare to her sight. She fought the urge to blush once again, though she knew that they were far past that point.

He then pulled the sheet back from her as well, though she made no move to cover herself. She watched as he touched her thigh tenderly, unwrapping the bandage that remained around it. Once again, she saw the pain wash across his face as he took in the sight of the many cuts she'd inflicted upon herself. He leaned in closer, inspecting the damage. Some of them looked as though they were becoming infected, causing him to sigh mightily.

"You have to take better care of these, Yuuki. How painful are they?" he asked, relieved that the blood had dried sufficiently and that there was nothing left to stir his bloodlust at the time, save for the faint scent of her injured finger.

"I know. They sting quite a bit. It's nothing unbearable, but it hurts when I lay on my right side," she told him, watching as he unwrapped the bandage on her upper arm in much the same fashion.

His fingers trailed lightly along the healing wounds on her arm, his lips then touching them tenderly.

"I'll clean them for you in a bit," he said, before straddling her small body, his silver hair falling into his eyes as he looked down upon her. She cleared it away, seeing then the want and love swirling within them.

Yuuki allowed herself to become absolutely lost with him, her thoughts ceasing to eat away at her as she heard her own voice crying his name, a name that was now and would forever be sacred to her.

After a while, the prefects were dressed and Yuuki opened the door, seeing that the hallway was empty. Her arms full of a change of clothes, she turned to Zero, who was gazing down at her with still hungry eyes.

"I'll meet you in the Chairman's bathroom, ok?" she asked, receiving a nod in response. She gave his hand a squeeze before heading down the corridor towards the door which led outside. He watched her go, feeling an odd pang in his chest. This situation was leaving him a bit drained, though he was valiantly fighting it for her sake. She needed him and it would do no good for him to fail her now.

~*~*~*~

Zero sighed, having made his way back to the boy's dorm for a shower. He'd changed into his uniform, save for his jacket and tie, the top three buttons of his white shirt undone. After buttoning his black vest, he adjusted his holster, slipping his Bloody Rose into it with a mind to visit the shooting range later on.

He started towards the Chairman's quarters, his mind never leaving the girl that held his heart in her hands. He was determined to help her heal, to keep her from bringing any more harm to herself. It was bad enough, he thought, what he did to her, though she'd told him more than once that she didn't mind it, that she enjoyed it, even.

As Zero made his way across the academy grounds, a familiar voice caught his attention, and he immediately felt his anger rushing forth like some unleashed beast.

"Kiryu-kun," came his voice, causing Zero to turn, his jaw clenched as he met the dark eyes of Kuran Kaname full on.

"What the hell do you want, vampire?" he spat, hoping this would be quick so he could attend to Yuuki.

Kaname responded with a smooth laugh, only angering Zero further. He really didn't have time for this.

"You say it as if you yourself aren't the same…though, you aren't really, are you? No, you're nothing like me. You're merely a mongrel that has chosen to prey on someone far too good for you. You're nothing, Kiryu, and yet you deem yourself worthy enough to take from her. How dare you?" he spat, disgust dripping from his voice.

His guilt struck him hard, Kuran's words eating into his very soul. Deep down, he agreed with him, despite what Yuuki had told him previously. The Pureblood was right: Zero knew he didn't deserve her, and yet he couldn't tear himself away from her.

"What's the matter, Kiryu? Cat got your tongue? Or is it that you know I'm right?" he asked, leaning against a nearby tree, his black shirt blowing in the breeze of the day.

Zero felt his anger boiling over, his rage building steadily as the moments ticked by. He knew better than to start anything, for fear that Yuuki would take it badly once again. But there was only so much he could take and he could already feel his patience wearing thin. The Pureblood knew exactly what buttons to press and he was quite adept at doing so.

"It's none of your concern, Kuran. Yuuki's old enough to make her own decisions and last I checked, she wasn't your possession," he shot back, seeing the dark haired vampire's scowl deepen.

"Yuuki, being the dear heart that she is, doesn't always realize what's best for her, and you certainly don't. You only care about your own desires, Kiryu. You use her and you _know_ it," Kaname nearly growled, seeing the rage flash through Zero's eyes.

"Don't presume that you know a damn thing about it, Kuran," he spat, feeling the weight of his gun under his arm, nearly begging to be called into play.

"But I know it well. She's your victim, Kiryu, nothing more. Yuuki is a kind hearted girl and her pity for you calls for her to allow you to use her to fulfill your own selfish desires. You're nothing but a disgusting beast, and you've hurt my girl for the last time," he said darkly, before finding his back slammed against the tree, the Bloody Rose held to his head.

Zero was positively incensed, the Pureblood's words echoing through his mind. His blood ran hot, a murderous urge racing through him as he held Kaname to the tree by the throat, his fangs bared as his eyes glowed red.

Kaname's smooth laughter only enraged him further, the next words he spoke painfully true.

"Do it and she'll never forgive you. The Council will hunt you down and have you exterminated like the diseased fiend that you are. You're nothing but a trigger happy degenerate and I'll see to it that you never touch her again," Kaname roared, his fingers gripping Zero's throat as he pushed him backwards, slamming him to the ground.

His breath knocked from him, Zero lay dazed for a moment before realizing his position. The Pureblood had him pinned to the ground, having ripped the Bloody Rose, chain and all, from his grip, tossing it away from the fray.

Fangs bared, Kaname glared down at his rival, their fingers tight around the throat of the other.

"You think you're so mighty that you know everything, don't you? She's not _your_ girl…she never will be. Not now," Zero growled, his fingers clawing at the ground for the gun that lay just inches from his grasp.

"What do you mean 'not now'? What've you done, Kiryu?" he demanded, the back of his hand connecting hard with Zero's face, blood soon seeping forth from his lip.

Though he knew he shouldn't have, his rage had taken total control of him, his words flowing forth without his consent.

"You heard me. She's _my_ girl, Kuran. I've seen to that. That's something you'll never take from her," he told him, shocked to hear himself speak of such things.

His words seemed to stun the Pureblood, his grip going slack for a moment and giving Zero the opportunity to lunge sidewise for his gun, gripping the handle as his rage exploded.

~*~*~*~

Yuuki had made her way to the Chairman's bathroom, then taking a shower and brushing her teeth. As she awaited Zero's arrival, to her horror, she heard a shot ring out. She ran to the window, her eyes growing wide as she took in the sight before her. Gods, they were killing each other.

She threw on her clothes as fast as she was able before dashing out the door, pure fear racing through her veins.

~*~*~*~

She ran, her blood running cold as she rounded the corner, racing for the trees.

Finally, she came within sight of them, appalled to see Zero on top of Kaname, the butt of his gun connecting with his face again and again. Her partner's shoulder was bleeding, his white shirt soaked through with his blood. She saw Kaname kick Zero away from him, his face bloodied and fangs bared like a mad dog as he lunged for the silver haired vampire, ripping his gun from his grip before aiming once again.

"No!" she screamed, colliding head on into him, sending him reeling, a stunned look upon his wounded face.

She stood between them, a horrified look upon her face. She'd not seen this much blood since the night Kaname had rescued her ten years ago and she was terrified to turn around, afraid of the condition she would find Zero in.

Finally mustering enough courage, Yuuki turned to find Zero struggling to sit upright, holding his injured shoulder, wincing all the while.

"God…what have you done?" she demanded, her anger focused on the bloodied Pureblood behind her.

He looked like hell himself, blood running down his beautiful face, trailing along his neck and down onto his chest.

"You…you _shot_ him?" she demanded, kneeling next her fallen lover, rage still burning in his eyes.

"Stay out of this, Yuuki," Zero said, his voice deep with fury as he got to his feet, pushing her behind him as he faced his opponent.

"Well, Kuran? Is that all you've got? Come on!" Zero shouted, the ache in his shoulder not seeming to faze him as the Pureblood did naught but stare.

It was very unlike him to act so barbarically, but Zero had managed to bring out the worst in him, and his temper was nothing to be fucked around with. Kaname then realized he was still holding Kiryu's demon weapon, dropping it to the ground as he took in the sight of Yuuki, who had stepped in front of Zero once again, her eyes filled with rage and hurt.

"Enough!" she shouted, causing them both to start. Neither had ever heard her sound so incensed, and neither had ever imagined the tiny girl capable of sounding so menacing.

"Look at yourselves! What are you _doing_?" she demanded, her arm going around Zero's waist as she saw him wobble a bit on his feet. His arm laced itself about her shoulders, his adrenaline dying off and making way for the pain to eat away at him.

Kaname wiped the blood from his face with his shirt sleeve, though the bleeding had yet to stop. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

His eyes locked with Zero's and he could see the rage dying within their lavender depths as he leaned on Yuuki, her chest heaving from her run.

"Yuuki…" he tried, only to be silenced by her voice.

"I hope you have a very good reason to have just shot a member of this academy, Senpai," she said, scalding him with her words.

"And I hope you have a very good reason to have lied to me, Yuuki. Since when have you kept so much from me?" he asked, the wounds on his face having already begun to heal due to his Pureblood lineage. She seemed confused by his words, until at last she looked at Zero, her eyes begging for it not to be true. He looked away, and it was all she needed to know the truth.

Unable to deal with it at the moment, Yuuki sighed, knowing that Kaname would heal quickly, while Zero would require a bit more care before he was well again.

"I may owe you my life, Senpai, but you don't own it," she said, maneuvering Zero and beginning to walk him back to the boy's dorm.

"I won't tell the Chairman or anyone else about this, if you let it die right here, right now," Yuuki told the Pureblood, her eyes filled with hurt.

"But I can't forget it," she added, knowing in her heart that this war between them would never truly end, especially if Zero had told Kaname what had happened between them.

No words would come as Kaname watched them go, his fists clenched at his sides, his dark hair dripping with his own blood. So, she'd made her choice at last. The thought cut into him like a knife, though he realized then that he'd only be hurting her more if he kept warring with the man she'd chosen over him.

The tension had always been thick between him and the Hunter's son, but Kaname knew that this was the end. Though he despised the former human and thought him undeserving of Yuuki, he could no longer fight it if she'd chosen this for herself. They were both right: he _didn't_ own her.

Admitting defeat and needing a good sulking, the Pureblood turned back to the Moon Dorm, where he could find some peace, if only for a while.

~*~*~*~

Yuuki carefully helped him to his bed, laying him down before beginning to unbutton first his vest, then his shirt. She removed them carefully, seeing him grit his teeth as she did so. She wanted to scream at him, to ask him why he'd betrayed their secret to the one that had saved her very life ten years ago. But instead, she remained calm, tending to the wound that his own gun had inflicted. She'd managed to grab it as they were leaving, and it now sat, bloody and still on the floor.

Zero's shoulder was still bleeding and she wrapped it with his shirt, which was soon soaked red. She knew how to expedite the healing process, but she also knew that he'd fight her. However, she was in no mood for it, her hands pulling her shirt over her head as she crawled over to him, gathering her hair away from her neck as she bowed her head.

"I don't know what just happened, but you're hurt and you need this," she said, soon hearing what she'd expected.

"No," he said, attempting to push her away.

"Zero, stop being stubborn and do it!" she shouted, surprising him with her sudden fury.

She felt his good arm go around her, wincing as his fangs found her, piercing her more violently than usual. She gasped as he drank, her arms gripping him tightly as he took of her life force. After a moment, she began to feel weak, her hands pushing at him. He didn't budge, and it was her painful cry that set him free from his bloodlust. Zero pulled back, her blood staining his chin, his eyes returning to their familiar lavender luster. He was horrified as she slumped against him, her breathing shallow as he cradled her small body against his good shoulder. He wiped his chin, then licking the remaining blood from his hand before titling her chin up with his fingers.

"Are you alright?" he asked. His brows furrowed after he received no response, his lips touching hers only to discover that they felt cool.

"Fuck," he cursed, ignoring the pain in his already healing shoulder in order to lay her down, pulling his blankets up over her body. He removed his bloodstained shirt from around his shoulder, noting that the wound had stopped bleeding before climbing under the covers with her, gathering her body up in his arms. She'd passed out cold, her breathing shallow as he lay whispering apologies to her, knowing she wouldn't hear them.

He felt like a fool, having given in to Kuran's provocation. It'd gotten him shot, with his own gun, nonetheless…and now he'd nearly drained his lover dry when she was only attempting to keep him from suffering. Zero hated himself, for being so damn temperamental, for disclosing something that should've remained between himself and the girl in his arms. As if Kuran didn't have enough reasons to hate him as it was.

He was sure that when she awoke, he'd be getting the tongue lashing of a lifetime from her for what he'd participated in. He just hoped that would be the extent of the consequences to follow.

Zero lay there, keeping close watch over his partner, making sure her body temperature was steady and hoping she would wake soon.

~*~*~*~

Her eyes fluttered open, her head swimming from her black out. Her head tilted back, taking in the sight of Zero gazing back at her, his eyes full of pain and shame. The memories of the earlier events of the day hit her and she was upright, her eyes welling with tears as a painful look crossed his face.

"How do you feel?" he ventured, receiving a curt answer.

"Fine. How's your shoulder?" she asked, his heart breaking as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Yuuki, please…" he began, taking her face in his hands.

"What the hell happened? Why were you…" she said, her voice still weak from her fainting spell.

He sighed, not wanting to explain the details of his violent encounter with her savior, though he knew it was necessary. She was already in a fragile state. This, he feared, would only hurt her more, make her want to hurt herself again. He attempted to clear his thoughts, to be sure he'd get his story straight.

"I was on my way to meet you when Kuran stopped me. He said some rather offensive things, as usual. I tried to ignore him, Yuuki. I really tried, but he kept pushing me. I tried to walk away, but he wouldn't let it go. I just snapped," he told her, his thumbs brushing her tears from her cheeks as she looked into his eyes.

"How did he get your gun?" she asked, her hands covering his as he continued to look her through.

Zero paused, not wanting to answer her but knowing that there was no way around it.

"I pulled it on him, and he took me down and wrenched it from me. I got it back before he took it again, then he shot me. I got it back and then…well, you saw the rest," he told her, hearing her sigh.

"Why couldn't you have just walked away?" she asked, surprising him with her words.

"You didn't hear what he was saying. Yuuki, he provoked me to the point of no return," he tried to explain, his anger rising once again.

"What did he say? And what do you tell him?" she asked, an almost accusing tone to her voice.

" He called you my "victim", said I was nothing and that I only used you...that you were his girl and that I'd never touch you again," Zero answered, nearly bristling as he spoke.

"I told him he was wrong, and that you would never be his, not now," he continued, seeing shock spread across her face.

"Not _now_? God, Zero, you _told_ him?" she asked, feeling a touch mortified that their secret had been revealed.

"I'm sorry, Yuuki. He just kept provoking me, and I let it slip. Please…forgive me," he said, kissing her forehead tenderly.

Her heart ached, and she felt torn once again, though she knew he was speaking the truth. Kaname had said terrible things, had started the violence that followed their initial confrontation. She felt at fault once again, knowing that the entire episode had been because of her. Why couldn't these two accept how she felt about each of them? Why did it always have to be this way between them?

"I have to go," she said suddenly, moving to get to her feet. Before they touched the floor, his arms were around her, keeping her still.

"I'm not letting you go right now. I know you're upset, and I know you think this is your fault. It's not, Yuuki. We're just two prideful idiots that should know better," he said, his breath hot against her ear.

"I don't want you to hurt yourself again and I know that's what you're going to do, despite what we talked about before. So stay with me," he asked, pulling her close, her back pressing against his chest.

She closed her eyes, unable to deny his request, knowing that she would soon calm down if she stayed in his company. Slowly, she turned to him, her eyes still wet from her tears.

"God, Yuuki. Seeing you like this breaks my heart. I'm so sorry," he said, stealing her breath as he kissed her. She could feel her guilt washing away, his tenderness melting her heart.

"Stay with me," he asked again, pressing his lips to hers again and again until finally their foreheads touched, her breathing a bit labored.

"Ok. I will," she told him, "and I won't do anything stupid."

He thought for a moment, smoothing her hair from her face before making his suggestion.

"Let's get out of here for a bit. We can go down into town for a while. I'll buy you some icecream," he said, causing her to smile.

"Sure thing. But you still need to clean these," she said, placing his hand on her upper thigh.

Yuuki knew that this wasn't over. She would still have to talk to Kaname about his incident with Zero, but for now, she only wanted to be by her lover's side, for he could do what no one else could: he could chase away her guilt and make her feel whole again.

She took his hand, following him to his door, watching as he stopped to retrieve his Bloody Rose from the floor. When they reached his door, he stopped, tilting her chin up with his fingers, kissing her lightly.

Giving him a small smile, she followed him down the hallway towards the stairs as they headed for the Chairman's bathroom.

~*~*~*~

**So, there's Chapter 8! This fic is getting longer than I had originally intended. Guess I'll be working on the ending soon so I can concentrate more on **_**"Fragile"**_**, which I HAD intended to be a long one. Anyway, Chapter 9, coming soon (hopefully)!**

***Cosmic Moon Baby***


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